Association noma aigu – VIH – malnutrition sévère chez l’enfant: à propos de 2 cas

Les auteurs rapportent deux cas de Noma aigu. L’un d’eux ayant une présentation clinique et topographique d’un noma neonatorum observé chez un enfant congolais de 3 ans, VIH séropositif au stade clinique et biologique IV (malnutrition sévère et taux de CD4 à 6%). Les lésions auraient été favorisées par une gingivo-stomatite à Candida albicans. L’écouvillonnage naso-pharyngé réalisé après le début de l’antibiothérapie n’a pas mis en évidence de germe. Dans le cas numéro 2, la progression des lésions a pu être maitrisée grâce à une antibiothérapie à large spectre faite de cefotaxime et métronidazole. Une prise en charge nutritionnelle au F75 puis F100 a été administrée avec succès. Dans le premier cas, le patient est décédé. Pan African Medical Journal 2012; 13:

Melioidosis in Africa: Time to Uncover the True Disease Load

Melioidosis is an often fatal infectious disease with a protean clinical spectrum, caused by the environmental bacterial pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei. Although the disease has been reported from some African countries in the past, the present epidemiology of melioidosis in Africa is almost entirely unknown. Therefore, the common view that melioidosis is rare in Africa is not evidence-based. A recent study concludes that large parts of Africa are environmentally suitable for B. pseudomallei. Twenty-four African countries and three countries in the Middle East were predicted to be endemic, but no cases of melioidosis have been reported yet. In this study, we summarize the present fragmentary knowledge on human and animal melioidosis and environmental B. pseudomallei in Africa and the Middle East. We propose that systematic serological studies in man and animals together with environmental investigations on potential B. pseudomallei habitats are needed to identify risk areas for melioidosis. This information can subsequently be used to target raising clinical awareness and the implementation of simple laboratory algorithms for the isolation of B. pseudomallei from clinical specimens. B. pseudomallei was most likely transferred from Asia to the Americas via Africa, which is shown by phylogenetic analyses. More data on the virulence and genomic characteristics of African B. pseudomallei isolates will contribute to a better understanding of the global evolution of the pathogen and will also help to assess potential differences in disease prevalence and outcome