Infections in Infants during the First 12 Months of Life: Role of Placental Malaria and Environmental Factors

Background: The association between placental malaria (PM) and first peripheral parasitaemias in early infancy was assessed in Tori Bossito, a rural area of Benin with a careful attention on transmission factors at an individual level. Methodology: Statistical analysis was performed on 550 infants followed weekly from birth to 12 months. Malaria transmission was assessed by anopheles human landing catches every 6 weeks in 36 sampling houses and season defined by rainfall. Each child was located by GPS and assigned to the closest anopheles sampling house. Data were analysed by survival Cox models, stratified on the possession of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) at enrolment. Principal Findings: Among infants sleeping in a house with an ITN, PM was found to be highly associated to first malaria infections, after adjusting on season, number of anopheles, antenatal care (ANC) visits and maternal severe anaemia. Infants born from a malaria infected placenta had a 2.13 fold increased risk to present a first malaria infection than those born from a non infected placenta ([1.24-3.67], p<0.01) when sleeping in a house with an ITN. The risk to present a first malaria infection was increased by 3.2 to 6.5, according to the level of anopheles exposure (moderate or high levels, compared to the absence of anopheles). Conclusions: First malaria infections in early childhood can be attributed simultaneously to both PM and high levels of exposure to infected anopheles. Protective measures as Intermittent Preventive Treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) and ITNs, targeted on both mothers and infants should be reinforced, as well as the research on new drugs and insecticides. In parallel, investigations on placental malaria have to be strengthened to better understand the mechanisms involved, and thus to protect adequately the infants high risk group

Direct impact of COVID-19 by estimating disability-adjusted life years at national level in France in 2020

Background: The World Health Organization declared a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on March 11, 2020. The standardized approach of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) allows for quantifying the combined impact of morbidity and mortality of diseases and injuries. The main objective of this study was to estimate the direct impact of COVID-19 in France in 2020, using DALYs to combine the population health impact of infection fatalities, acute symptomatic infections and their post-acute consequences, in 28 days (baseline) up to 140 days, following the initial infection. Methods: National mortality, COVID-19 screening, and hospital admission data were used to calculate DALYs based on the European Burden of Disease Network consensus disease model. Scenario analyses were performed by varying the number of symptomatic cases and duration of symptoms up to a maximum of 140 days, defining COVID-19 deaths using the underlying, and associated, cause of death. Results: In 2020, the estimated DALYs due to COVID-19 in France were 990 710 (1472 per 100 000), with 99% of burden due to mortality (982 531 years of life lost, YLL) and 1% due to morbidity (8179 years lived with disability, YLD), following the initial infection. The contribution of YLD reached 375%, assuming the duration of 140 days of post-acute consequences of COVID-19. Post-acute consequences contributed to 49% of the total morbidity burden. The contribution of YLD due to acute symptomatic infections among people younger than 70 years was higher (67%) than among people aged 70 years and above (33%). YLL among people aged 70 years and above, contributed to 74% of the total YLL. Conclusions: COVID-19 had a substantial impact on population health in France in 2020. The majority of population health loss was due to mortality. Men had higher population health loss due to COVID-19 than women. Post-acute consequences of COVID-19 had a large contribution to the YLD component of the disease burden, even when we assume the shortest duration of 28 days, long COVID burden is large. Further research is recommended to assess the impact of health inequalities associated with these estimates

Modulation of innate immune responses at birth by prenatal malaria exposure and association with malaria risk during the first year of life.

BACKGROUND: Factors driving inter-individual differences in immune responses upon different types of prenatal malaria exposure (PME) and subsequent risk of malaria in infancy remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined the impact of four types of PME (i.e., maternal peripheral infection and placental acute, chronic, and past infections) on both spontaneous and toll-like receptors (TLRs)-mediated cytokine production in cord blood and how these innate immune responses modulate the risk of malaria during the first year of life. METHODS: We conducted a birth cohort study of 313 mother-child pairs nested within the COSMIC clinical trial (NCT01941264), which was assessing malaria preventive interventions during pregnancy in Burkina Faso. Malaria infections during pregnancy and infants' clinical malaria episodes detected during the first year of life were recorded. Supernatant concentrations of 30 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors induced by stimulation of cord blood with agonists of TLRs 3, 7/8, and 9 were measured by quantitative suspension array technology. Crude concentrations and ratios of TLR-mediated cytokine responses relative to background control were analyzed. RESULTS: Spontaneous production of innate immune biomarkers was significantly reduced in cord blood of infants exposed to malaria, with variation among PME groups, as compared to those from the non-exposed control group. However, following TLR7/8 stimulation, which showed higher induction of cytokines/chemokines/growth factors than TLRs 3 and 9, cord blood cells of infants with evidence of past placental malaria were hyper-responsive in comparison to those of infants not-exposed. In addition, certain biomarkers, which levels were significantly modified depending on the PME category, were independent predictors of either malaria risk (GM-CSF TLR7/8 crude) or protection (IL-12 TLR7/8 ratio and IP-10 TLR3 crude, IL-1RA TLR7/8 ratio) during the first year of life. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that past placental malaria has a profound effect on fetal immune system and that the differential alterations of innate immune responses by PME categories might drive heterogeneity between individuals to clinical malaria susceptibility during the first year of life

Healthcare utilizaton of youths with a chronic disease transitioning to adulthood

L’amélioration du pronostic des pathologies chroniques à début pédiatrique s’est accompagnée d’un nombre grandissant de patients atteignant l’âge adulte. Cependant, l’adolescence et l’entrée dans la vie adulte est une période de multiples changements et de crises, pouvant être à l’origine de rupture avec le système de soins et de complications médicales. Dans cette thèse, j’ai tout d’abord décrit les hospitalisations et la mortalité des jeunes ayant été déclarés en affection de longue durée (ALD) avant 14 ans (N=1752), en comparaison à des jeunes sans pathologie chronique (N=52346). Pour cela, une cohorte rétrospective (2005-2014) a été reconstruite à partir de l’échantillon généraliste des bénéficiaires de l’Assurance maladie. Environ 3% des jeunes de 14 ans avaient déjà été déclarés en ALD. Les profils de mortalité par sexe et les tendances par âge de l’incidence des hospitalisations étaient différents de ceux de la population générale du même âge, en particulier après 18 ans, où l’on observait une chute de l’incidence des hospitalisations. Ensuite, à partir de ces mêmes données, j’ai montré que le pronostic de ces jeunes malades, y compris la mortalité, était associé à la précarité sociale, mesurée par la couverture maladie universelle complémentaire, montrant ainsi que la gratuité des soins à laquelle ces jeunes ont droit dans le système de santé français ne permettait pas de compenser les inégalités sociales dans cette population. Enfin, à un moment ou un autre, ces jeunes sont transférés vers un service d’adultes. Ce passage est un moment crucial dans leur suivi, qui peut être à l’origine d’une discontinuité du suivi médical. Des programmes de transition sont mis en place progressivement pour préparer et accompagner ce transfert. J’ai réalisé une revue systématique de la littérature (23 études) qui a montré qu’il existait deux aspects de la continuité des soins au moment de ce transfert : l’engagement (premier contact) et le maintien dans le suivi en service d’adultes. Cette analyse a également mis en exergue la pauvreté des études existant actuellement pour évaluer les programmes de transition en termes de continuité des soins. Finalement, ces résultats soulèvent de nombreuses questions, notamment les stratégies d’adaptation de ces jeunes vis-à-vis des situations à haut risque et le rôle du transfert en service d’adultes sur le comportement des patients, le pronostic et les pratiques cliniques. Des études incluant largement l’ensemble des jeunes atteints d’une pathologie chronique, intégrant notamment des facteurs liés à l’organisation des soins, liés à la pathologie, individuels et familiaux, devraient être encouragées.The prognosis of childhood-onset chronic conditions has improved, such that more patients now reach adulthood. However, adolescence and entry into adulthood is a critical period that may be associated with poor outcomes, including gaps in care continuity and medical complications. Here, I first described hospitalization and mortality rates in youths registered for a long-term disease (LTD) before the age of 14 (N=1,752), relative to those with no LTD (N=52,346). A retrospective cohort (2005-2014) was built from a sample of the French national health insurance database, called Echantillon généraliste des Bénéficiaires. Approximately 3% of 14-year-old youths had been registered for a LTD. The mortality patterns by gender and the trend in hospitalization rates by age were different from those in the general population of the same age, especially after reaching the age of 18, which was followed by a fall in hospitalization rates. Then, using the same data, I showed that the prognosis of these youths living with a chronic disease, including mortality, was associated with low socio-economic level, as measured by being covered by Couverture Maladie Universelle Complementaire, a public complementary health insurance offering free access to care, delivered on the basis of very low househould incomes. Hence, overcoming financial barriers did not offset social health inequalities in this population. At last, one day, these youths have to be transferred to adult care. Moving to adult care is a critical time in patients’ follow-up that may lead to discontinuity in medical care. Transition programs are being gradually implemented, to prepare and smooth the transfer and support youths during this period. I performed a systematic review of literature (23 studies) that highlighted two aspects of continuity of care during transfer: engagement (first contacts) and retention in adult care once the first contact has been established. This review also emphasized the paucity of knowledge to evaluate transition programs in terms of care continuity. Finally, the results of this PhD raises many issues that need to be addressed, including coping strategies of young patients with high risk situations, and the role of transfer to adult care on patient behavior, prognosis and clinical practices. Studies involving patients with a large spectrum of severe chronic diseases, including factors related to healthcare organization, related to the disease, individual and familial, should be encouraged

Recours aux soins des jeunes en transition vers l’âge adulte ayant une pathologie chronique

The prognosis of childhood-onset chronic conditions has improved, such that more patients now reach adulthood. However, adolescence and entry into adulthood is a critical period that may be associated with poor outcomes, including gaps in care continuity and medical complications. Here, I first described hospitalization and mortality rates in youths registered for a long-term disease (LTD) before the age of 14 (N=1,752), relative to those with no LTD (N=52,346). A retrospective cohort (2005-2014) was built from a sample of the French national health insurance database, called Echantillon généraliste des Bénéficiaires. Approximately 3% of 14-year-old youths had been registered for a LTD. The mortality patterns by gender and the trend in hospitalization rates by age were different from those in the general population of the same age, especially after reaching the age of 18, which was followed by a fall in hospitalization rates. Then, using the same data, I showed that the prognosis of these youths living with a chronic disease, including mortality, was associated with low socio-economic level, as measured by being covered by Couverture Maladie Universelle Complementaire, a public complementary health insurance offering free access to care, delivered on the basis of very low househould incomes. Hence, overcoming financial barriers did not offset social health inequalities in this population. At last, one day, these youths have to be transferred to adult care. Moving to adult care is a critical time in patients’ follow-up that may lead to discontinuity in medical care. Transition programs are being gradually implemented, to prepare and smooth the transfer and support youths during this period. I performed a systematic review of literature (23 studies) that highlighted two aspects of continuity of care during transfer: engagement (first contacts) and retention in adult care once the first contact has been established. This review also emphasized the paucity of knowledge to evaluate transition programs in terms of care continuity. Finally, the results of this PhD raises many issues that need to be addressed, including coping strategies of young patients with high risk situations, and the role of transfer to adult care on patient behavior, prognosis and clinical practices. Studies involving patients with a large spectrum of severe chronic diseases, including factors related to healthcare organization, related to the disease, individual and familial, should be encouraged.L’amélioration du pronostic des pathologies chroniques à début pédiatrique s’est accompagnée d’un nombre grandissant de patients atteignant l’âge adulte. Cependant, l’adolescence et l’entrée dans la vie adulte est une période de multiples changements et de crises, pouvant être à l’origine de rupture avec le système de soins et de complications médicales. Dans cette thèse, j’ai tout d’abord décrit les hospitalisations et la mortalité des jeunes ayant été déclarés en affection de longue durée (ALD) avant 14 ans (N=1752), en comparaison à des jeunes sans pathologie chronique (N=52346). Pour cela, une cohorte rétrospective (2005-2014) a été reconstruite à partir de l’échantillon généraliste des bénéficiaires de l’Assurance maladie. Environ 3% des jeunes de 14 ans avaient déjà été déclarés en ALD. Les profils de mortalité par sexe et les tendances par âge de l’incidence des hospitalisations étaient différents de ceux de la population générale du même âge, en particulier après 18 ans, où l’on observait une chute de l’incidence des hospitalisations. Ensuite, à partir de ces mêmes données, j’ai montré que le pronostic de ces jeunes malades, y compris la mortalité, était associé à la précarité sociale, mesurée par la couverture maladie universelle complémentaire, montrant ainsi que la gratuité des soins à laquelle ces jeunes ont droit dans le système de santé français ne permettait pas de compenser les inégalités sociales dans cette population. Enfin, à un moment ou un autre, ces jeunes sont transférés vers un service d’adultes. Ce passage est un moment crucial dans leur suivi, qui peut être à l’origine d’une discontinuité du suivi médical. Des programmes de transition sont mis en place progressivement pour préparer et accompagner ce transfert. J’ai réalisé une revue systématique de la littérature (23 études) qui a montré qu’il existait deux aspects de la continuité des soins au moment de ce transfert : l’engagement (premier contact) et le maintien dans le suivi en service d’adultes. Cette analyse a également mis en exergue la pauvreté des études existant actuellement pour évaluer les programmes de transition en termes de continuité des soins. Finalement, ces résultats soulèvent de nombreuses questions, notamment les stratégies d’adaptation de ces jeunes vis-à-vis des situations à haut risque et le rôle du transfert en service d’adultes sur le comportement des patients, le pronostic et les pratiques cliniques. Des études incluant largement l’ensemble des jeunes atteints d’une pathologie chronique, intégrant notamment des facteurs liés à l’organisation des soins, liés à la pathologie, individuels et familiaux, devraient être encouragées

La fin de vie à domicile en médecine générale

LE KREMLIN-B.- PARIS 11-BU Méd (940432101) / SudocPARIS-BIUM (751062103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Réponse au traitement antirétroviral initié pendant ou en dehors de la grossesse chez des femmes infectées par le VIH

Près d un tiers des femmes enceintes infectées par le VIH qui ne sont pas sous traitement antirétroviral (ART) à la conception n atteint pas l indétectabilité de la charge virale (CV) à l accouchement tel que recommandé en France. Cet objectif virologique est très exigeant au vu du temps imparti, par rapport à ce qui est recommandé en dehors de la grossesse. L objectif était d étudier si la grossesse pouvait avoir en plus un impact sur la réponse immuno-virologique précoce suivant l instauration d un traitement antirétroviral combiné (cART).Toutes les femmes naïves d ART des cohortes multicentriques françaises ANRS EPF, COPANA et PRIMO étaient éligibles. La réponse virologique (CV <400 cp/mL et <50 cp/mL) à 1, 3 et 6 mois a été comparée chez les femmes commençant un cART au cours (n=708) ou en dehors (n=110) de la grossesse depuis 2004. A M1, la réponse virologique était meilleure pendant la grossesse qu en dehors, mais après ajustement sur la CV initiale la différence n était plus significative. La réponse virologique à 400 cp/mL était excellente et similaire dans les deux groupes : 90% à M3 et plus de 95% à M6. Cependant, la réponse virologique à 50 cp/mL tendait à être moins bonne chez les femmes enceintes que non enceintes à M3 et M6. La réponse immunologique était similaire dans les deux groupes.En conclusion, la réponse au cART était similaire pendant ou en dehors de la grossesse, bien qu il ne soit pas exclu que certains facteurs liés à la grossesse pourraient expliquer en partie la moins bonne réponse virologique à 50 cp/mL. Le principal facteur limitant l atteinte d une CV indétectable à l'accouchement semble être la courte durée de traitement.PARIS6-Bibl.Pitié-Salpêtrie (751132101) / SudocSudocFranceF