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Résumé Les fièvres hémorragiques virales regroupent plusieurs viroses, potentiellement graves, avec un tableau clinique relativement stéréotypé, d’évolution biphasique. Après une incubation de 2 à 21 jours, apparition d’un syndrome pseudo-grippal qui évolue au bout de quelques jours, de manière imprévisible, chez une proportion variable de patients, vers un syndrome hémorragique avec choc. La transmission interhumaine s’effectue le plus souvent par contacts avec des liquides biologiques, surtout en présence de sang. La biologie de ces virus, leur épidémiologie et leur létalité sont très variables. Pour toutes ces fièvres hémorragiques virales, l’importance d’un diagnostic rapide réside plus dans la nécessité d’interrompre les chaînes de transmission que dans les possibilités thérapeutiques, limitées aux traitements symptomatiques, à l’exception notable de la fièvre de Lassa (efficacité probable de la ribavirine). Summary Viral haemorragic fevers are characterized by similar clinical manifestations, with a biphasic course : After a 2-21 day-incubation, onset of an influenza-like illness, that will drive to an haemorragic syndrom with shock, in a subgroup of patients, unpredictable. Human-to-human transmission mostly occurs through contact with biological fluids, especially if contaminated with blood. The biology, the epidemiology and the letality of these viruses differ. For all these viral haemorragic fevers, the importance of an early diagnosis relies mostly in the need to interrupt human-to-human transmission, as therapeutic options are mostly restricted to symptomatic treatment, with the exception of Lassa fever (ribavirin probably effective). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is common in high-altitude travellers, and may lead to life-threatening high-altitude cerebral oedema. To better target pre-travel counselling, we aimed to characterize the risk factors for AMS that may be identified prior to departure. Methods: We performed a descriptive study of high-altitude travellers who consulted at a travel clinic before departure. Data were collected by phone after their return, using a standardized questionnaire. Results: 162 adults were enrolled. Most subjects (81.5%) were informed about AMS before departure, by a medical doctor in 40% of cases. AMS symptoms were reported by 77 travellers (47.5%). Variables significantly associated with AMS symptoms were female sex (56% versus 38.5%, p = 0.01), trip organised by a travel agency (55.2% versus 43.3%, p = 0.03), travel duration (mean, 4.2 ± 3.5 weeks in patients with AMS, versus 6.6 ± 7.5 weeks in patients without AMS, p = 0.014), and acetazolamide use (71.4% versus 47.5%, p = 0.045). In multivariate analysis, only female sex was independently predictive of AMS (adjusted OR 2.15 [1.14-4.40]). Conclusions: AMS symptoms occur in almost half of high-altitude travellers. Women, and travellers leaving for short duration, within trips organised by travel agencies, should be targeted for enhanced pre-travel counselling to prevent AMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Objective: We hypothesized that, in Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus (HIV/HCV) co-infected patients who did not respond to peg-interferon and ribavirin, a maintenance therapy with peg-interferon could induce fibrosis regression. Methods: This was a randomized study with two parallel groups. HIV/HCV co-infected patients received peg-interferon α-2a at 180 μg/week or remained on observation for 96 weeks. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients who experienced a decrease of at least one point in their Metavir fibrosis score between initial and final liver biopsies. Secondary endpoints included plasma fibrosis markers at week 96, occurrence of HCV-related complications, and survival. Results: A total of 52 patients were randomized (peg-interferon: 25; control: 27) including 18 with cirrhosis. The median (interquartile range) age was 44 (40–46) years, and 69% were male. A total of 64% had ALT levels >1.5 normal values, and the CD4 cell count was 391 (296–537) cells/mm3; 67% of patients had HIV RNA <200 copies/mL at entry. The main endpoint was assessed in 41 patients. Response rates were 3/20 (15%) and 4/21 (19%) in the peg-interferon and control groups, respectively (p = 0.99). There was no significant difference between peg-interferon and control groups on plasma fibrosis markers at the final visit. Severe liver-related complications were observed in 2 and 5 patients in peg-interferon and control groups, respectively. Three deaths were observed, all in the control group. Conclusions: A maintenance therapy with peg-interferon α-2a over 96 weeks in HIV/HCV co-infected patients, who were non-responders to HCV treatment, did not change liver fibrosis. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00122616. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study reports six consecutive patients who underwent heart transplantation as salvage treatment for endocarditis (Duke criteria) with extensive perivalvular lesions and end-stage heart failure. The median age was 45 years (range, 24 to 64), and the aortic valve was affected in all patients. Pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus (n = 2), Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 2), Streptococcus agalactiae (n = 1), or not documented (n = 1). All patients survived, with no relapse, after a median follow-up of 24.5 months. The 10 patients with heart transplantation for endocarditis previously reported also survived (median follow-up, 27.5 months). Heart transplantation may be considered as salvage treatment in selected patients with intractable infective endocarditis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Obsjective:This study examined the relations between health locus of control (HLOC) beliefs and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in 302 HIV-infected patients enrolled in a French cohort, 44 months (M44) after they began highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods: HLOC beliefs were measured with the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLOC) scale and HRQL, with the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form Health Survey (MOS-SF-36). Results: Internal HLOC beliefs at the initiation of treatment were associated with both physical HRQL in multivariate analysis, while chance HLOC beliefs on beginning HAART were associated with mental HRQL at M44. Conclusion: These findings suggest the importance of considering the psychological characteristics and psychosocial beliefs of patients at the initiation of ARV treatment to optimise the long-term HRQL of HIV-infected patient and to develop adaptive intervention on coping strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]