Portage parasitaire digestif d’enfants adoptés

International audienceIntroduction. Intestinal parasitoses are very common infections in tropical areas. By contrast, they are rarely diagnosed in developed countries, and are mostly seen in specific populations.Patients and methods. This analytical observational study was longitudinally performed in a French university hospital (2007-2011). It dealt with the study of gastrointestinal carriage of parasites in internationally adopted children. A standard stool examination was therefore systematically undertaken for every new immigrant. Association with risk factors was made by uni-and multivariate analysis.Results. Overall, 69 stool samples were analyzed. The proportion of positive samples was 78 %. Protozoans, mainly Giardia duodenalis, were more prevalent than helminths. In univariate analysis, a sub-ject's low weight and height were significantly associated with intestinal parasite carriage. Amoebae were more frequent in older children and in children from Haiti, as confirmed by the trend observed in the multivariate analysis. Flagellates were seen more often in African children. Infections with multiple parasite species were observed in half of the study population, and were inversely correlated to increasing age.Discussion: According to the results of this study, gastrointestinal parasites are still very frequent in stool samples from immigrant children. Since they are easy to transmit, the majority of infections were protozoan. The best antiparasitic strategy lies in: (a) the routine screening of stool from any immigrant child coming from endemic areas and (b) the use of antiparasitic treatment.Introduction: Les parasitoses digestives sont très courantes en zone intertropicale. Elles sont beaucoup plus rares dans les pays occidentaux où elles sont diagnostiquées uniquement dans des populations spécifiques.Patients et méthodes: Cette étude observationnelle analytique, menée dans le service de parasitologie du centre hospitalier régional universitaire de Tours sur la période 2007-2011, s'est intéressée au portage de parasites gastro-intestinaux dans les selles des enfants étrangers impliqués dans une procédure d'adoption. L'association avec les facteurs de risque a été faite par analyse univariée et multivariée. Résultats. Au total, 69 selles de 69 enfants ont été étudiées : 78 % étaient parasitées. Les protozoaires, et principalement Giardia duodenalis, ont été davantage isolés que les helminthes. En analyse univariée, le parasitisme était associé à une taille et à une masse corporelle basses. Les amibes ont été davantage observées chez les sujets les plus âgés et chez les Haïtiens, ce qui a été confirmé par une tendance en analyse multivariée, alors que le portage des parasites flagellés était plus important chez les enfants provenant d’Afrique. Le polyparasitisme concernait un enfant sur deux, et était inversement associé à l’âge.Discussion: Dans cette enquête, le portage parasitaire est apparu majeur dans les selles des enfants adoptés à l’étranger. Il s’agissait principalement de protozoaires, parasites directement transmissibles à l’entourage, même en dehors des zones d’endémie. À notre échelle, le meilleur moyen de lutte réside dans la sensibilisation au dépistage systématique chez tout sujet arrivant de ces zones endémiques et l’instauration d’un traitement antiparasitaire

Barth syndrome in a female patient

BACKGROUND: Barth syndrome (BTHS) is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized by cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy and cyclic neutropenia in male patients. It is caused by mutations in the TAZ gene coding for the tafazzin, a protein involved in the remodeling of cardiolipin. Loss of cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membrane results in respiratory chain dysfunction. No specific symptom has been identified in female carriers. CASE REPORT: We report the first case of BTHS confirmed by TAZ gene analysis in a female patient. This girl experienced severe heart failure at 1-month of age. Echocardiography diagnosed dilated-hypokinetic and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with noncompaction of the left ventricle. Initial metabolic screening was normal, except for a cyclic neutropenia. Respiratory chain analysis performed on skin fibroblasts revealed a decreased activity of complexes I, III and IV. Screening on a bloodspot showed abnormal monolysocardiolipin:cardiolipin ratio, later confirmed on cultured fibroblasts, indicative of BTHS. Genetic analyses finally confirmed the diagnosis of BTHS, by showing a large intragenic deletion of exons 1 through 5 in the TAZ gene. Cytogenetic analysis showed mosaicism for monosomy X and for a ring X chromosome with a large deletion of the long arm including the Xq28 region. The girl presented recurrent episodes of severe acute heart failure, progressive muscle weakness, and had a fatal septic shock at 3years. CONCLUSION: This case highlights that the diagnosis of BTHS should also be suspected in female patients presenting a phenotype similar to affected boys. In these cases, analysis of the monolysocardiolipin:cardiolipin ratio in bloodspots is a rapid and sensitive screening tool for BTHS. However clinical expression in a carrier female requires hemizygosity for the mutated allele of the TAZ gene, which supposes a rearrangement of the TAZ gene region on the other X chromosome

Molecular identification of <i>Pentatrichomonas hominis</i> in two patients with gastrointestinal symptoms

The trichomonad species Pentatrichomonas hominis colonises the gastrointestinal tract and is generally considered as a commensal organism in humans. However, some studies have recognised an association between diarrhoea and P. hominis infection in dogs and cats. In the present report, we have identified this species using molecular tools in two patients with gastrointestinal troubles. Our data suggest that P. hominis is a possible zoonotic species with a significant potential of transmission by water and could be the causative agent of intestinal symptoms in children

Congenital Trypanosomiasis in Child Born in France to African Mother

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Immunogenicity and reactogenicity of heterologous and homologous mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 vaccination: A multicenter non-inferiority randomized trial

International audienceBACKGROUND: Although effective mRNA vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 infection have been deployed worldwide, their interchangeability could facilitate the scale-up of vaccination programs. The objective of the trial was to assess whether the immune response induced by a heterologous SARS-CoV-2 mRNA primo vaccination is non-inferior to that of a homologous mRNA vaccination. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, open-label trial in adults 18 years of age and older who received a first dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive a second dose of BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273, 28 to 49 days after the first dose. Randomization was stratified on the vaccine received at the first vaccination. The primary endpoint was the anti-spike IgG antibodies titer measured 28 days after the second vaccine dose. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, Trial, NCT04900467. FINDINGS: Of the 414 randomized participants recruited from May 28 to July 2, 2021, 390 were included in the per protocol analysis: 94 participants in group 1 (BNT162b2/BNT162b2), 96 in group 2 (BNT162b2/mRNA-1273), 97 in group 3 (mRNA-1273/mRNA-1273), and 103 in group 4 (mRNA-1273/BNT162b2). The geometric mean titers ratios of anti-spike IgG antibodies for each heterologous regimen relative to the corresponding homologous regimen were 1·37 (two-sided 95% CI, 1·10 to 1·72) in the groups 1 and 2 and 0·67 (two-sided 95% CI, 0·55 to 0·82) in the groups 3 and 4. Levels of neutralizing antibodies to the main circulating SARS-Cov-2 viral strains were higher with the vaccine regimen containing mRNA-1273. Participants who received mRNA-1273 as a second dose experienced a higher rate of local adverse reactions and general symptoms than those who received BNT162b2 (p &lt; 0·0001). INTERPRETATION: The two SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines could be used with flexibility for the second dose of COVID-19 primo vaccination. Tolerance remains good regardless of vaccine sequence although mRNA-1273 was more reactogenic. FUNDING: French Ministries of Solidarity and Health and Research. BNT162b2 was provided by Pfizer/BioNTech. mRNA-1273 was provided by Moderna

Humoral response after mRNA COVID-19 primary vaccination and single booster dose in people living with HIV compared to controls: a French nationwide multicenter cohort study - ANRS0001s COV-POPART

International audienceBACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the humoral responses to mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in PWH and HIV-negative individuals. METHODS: We included PWH with an undetectable viral load under ART and HIV-negative participants from the French nationwide ANRS COV-POPART cohort who had received two doses of vaccine as a primary vaccination. We compared humoral response between controls and PWH, stratified by CD4 cell count (&lt; 200/mm(3) and ≥ 200/mm(3) CD4 cell counts) at 1, 6 and 12 months after primary vaccination. RESULTS: A total of 1776 participants were included in this analysis, 684 PWH (99% were on ART, median CD4 counts 673 cells/mm(3)) and 1092 controls. At 1 month, after adjustment on age, sex and BMI, PWH had lower seroneutralization titers than controls and PWH with &lt; 200 CD4 cell/mm3 had lower anti- Spike SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Same results were found at 6 months. However, in participants who received a booster dose between 6 and 12 months post primary vaccination, we did not observe differences between PWH and controls at 12 months. CONCLUSION: PWH had high responses to primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. In those who received a booster dose after six months, the humoral response at 12 months increased to similar levels to controls, even in those with low CD4 counts at baseline

Incidence of COVID-19 mRNA vaccine symptomatic breakthrough infections during Omicron circulation in adults with or without infection prior to vaccination

International audienceObjectives: COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections were frequently reported during circulation of the Omicron variant. The ANRS|MIE CoviCompareP study investigated these infections in adults vaccinated and boosted with BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech] and with/without SARS-CoV-2 infection before vaccination.Methods: In the first half of 2021, healthy adults (aged 18-45, 65-74 and 75 or older) received either one dose of BNT162b2 (n = 120) if they had a documented history of SARS-CoV-2 infection at least five months previously, or two doses (n = 147) if they had no history confirmed by negative serological tests. A first booster dose was administered at least 6 months after the primary vaccination, and a second booster dose, if any, was reported in the database. Neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against the European (D614G) strain and the Omicron BA.1 variant were assessed up to 28 days after the first booster dose. A case-control analysis was performed for the 252 participants who were followed up in 2022, during the Omicron waves.Results: From January to October 2022, 78/252 (31%) had a documented symptomatic breakthrough infection after full vaccination: 21/117 (18%) in those who had been infected before vaccination vs. 57/135 (42%) in those who had not. In a multivariate logistic regression model, factors associated with a lower risk of breakthrough infection were older age, a higher number of booster doses, and higher levels of Omicron BA.1 NAb titers in adults with infection before vaccination, but not in those without prior infection.Conclusion: Our results highlight the need to consider immune markers of protection in association with infection and vaccination history

Neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants following mRNA booster vaccination in adults older than 65 years

Immune response induced by COVID-19 vaccine booster against delta and omicron variants was assessed in 65 adults (65-84 years old) early aftesr a first booster dose. An increase in SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies was shown in individuals not previously infected without evidence of an age-related effect, with lower increase in those infected before a single dose of primary vaccination. Of note, humoral response was observed only starting from the 5th day after the boost