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We report here an atypical case of acute sacroiliitis caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae revealing tricuspid endocarditis in a 53-year-old woman without medical history. She was admitted to Cayenne hospital because of intense right hip and thigh pain, associated with fever. A right sacroiliitis was visible on the computed tomography (CT) scan, confirmed on MRI. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a large mobile tricuspid vegetation. Blood cultures were positive for E. rhusiopathiae . CT scan showed pulmonary alveolar opacities, consistent with septic emboli. Clinical improvement was obtained under ceftriaxone followed by ciprofloxacin for 6 weeks of treatment. We present a review of bone and joint infections caused by E. rhusiopathiae . So far, not a single case has been reported in Latin America., (Copyright © 2022 SFMTSI.)

The estimated seroprevalence in the general population after chikungunya virus (CHIKV) epidemics ranged from 38 to 63%. Despite a low case fatality, subacute and chronic rheumatic forms of CHIKV infection generate significant morbidity and have a socioeconomic impact. The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of chronic post-CHIKV rheumatic or musculoskeletal pain (pCHIK-RMSP) at 3 and 6 months after the initial symptoms. An observational study was conducted at Cayenne General Hospital in French Guiana between April 1 and June 30, 2014. All patients seen for CHIKV infection confirmed by RT-PCR were prospectively included. Pregnant women and children under 15 were excluded from the study. All patients were called by phone at 3 and 6 months to enquire about the presence of pCHIK-RMSP. Out of a total of 254 eligible patients, 168 were selected. The mean age was 45.3 years (SD ± 1.4 yo) and the sex ratio (M/F) was 0.75. No death was reported. At 3 months, 40.2% (95% CI 31.1-49.3) of patients (n = 45/112) had pCHIK-RMSP and 31.3% (95% CI 22.2-40.4) of patients (n = 31/99) at 6 months. The median time of end to pain was 2 weeks after the date of onset of signs. The present study provides succinct but informative data about pCHIK-RMSP, which represents the real burden of the disease. There are few studies on that subject in the Amazonian region, but our study shows a lower impact than in the Indian Ocean islands where the population is older.

Background: The preventive treatment of Plasmodium vivax relapse recommended by the World Health Organization is primaquine at a dose of 15 mg/day for 14 days, except for malaria cases from Asia and Oceania. Since 2006, CDC recommends the use of primaquine at 30 mg/day for 14 days. In France, all cases of malaria due to P. vivax are treated with 30 mg of primaquine. This systematically increased dosage needs to be evaluated according to epidemiological context. The aim of the study was to compare relapses after 14 days of primaquine at 15 or 30 mg/day., Methods: All patients treated with primaquine after a vivax malaria episode in French Guiana, between 1 January, 2007 and 1 August, 2016, were studied. Based on the compulsory hospital pharmacy forms for primaquine delivery, adult patients who received 15 or 30 mg of primaquine during 14 days for hypnozoite eradication were included. The recommended dose was initially 15 mg and was changed to 30 mg in 2011. Vivax malaria recurrences within 2 months after primaquine treatment, and vivax malaria recurrences 2-6 months after primaquine in each treatment group were analysed using survival analysis at 2, 3 and 6 months., Results: Out of 544 patients included, 283 received 15 mg/day and 261 received 30 mg/day of primaquine. At 2 and 3 months after primaquine treatment, the number of recurrences was 7 (2.5%) and 19 (7.3%), and 9 (3.4%) and 15 (5.3%), in the 15 and 30 mg groups (p = 0.51 respectively 0.35), respectively. Within 3 months, the median time to recurrence was 2.05 months in the 15 and 30 mg groups. At 6 months after primaquine treatment, the number of recurrences was 25 (8.8%) and 31 (11.9%) at 15 and 30 mg, respectively (p = 0.24). The median time to recurrence was 2.38 months at 15 mg/day and of 2.64 months at 30 mg/day., Conclusions: There were no significant differences between primaquine at 15 or 30 mg/day for 14 days in the prevention of P. vivax relapses at 2, 3 and 6 months after primaquine treatment in French Guiana.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a thrombotic microangiopathy associated to severe ADAMTS13 deficiency. It has been linked to various viral infections. Among arboviruses, only Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever and dengue fever have been linked to this severe disease. We report the first documented case of TTP concomitant to Chikungunya virus infection., (© International Society of Travel Medicine, 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Identifying patients at risk of developing severe dengue is challenging. The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of hypotension and its predictive factors during the Dengue 2 epidemic in 2013., Methods: In 2013, a longitudinal study was performed using data from all confirmed cases of dengue seen in Cayenne General Hospital. The analysis used Cox proportional modeling to obtain adjusted hazards ratios for hypotension., Results: A total of 806 confirmed patients were included 78 (9.6%) of whom developed hypotension. Extensive purpura, cutaneomucous hemorrhage, serous effusion and age 1-15 years were associated with subsequent hypotension whereas 'aches' and a rash were associated with a lower incidence of hypotension. The biological variables independently associated with hypotension were: increase of hematocrit, low protein concentrations, low sodium concentration and lymphocytes over 1400/ml. A risk score was computed from the scaled Cox model coefficient., Conclusions: From a clinician's perspective, extensive purpura, cutaneomucous hemorrhage, serous effusion, age 1-15 years, hematocrit increase, low protein, low sodium, lymphocytosis and the absence of aches or of a rash, may be important warning signs to predict subsequent hypotension and shock. Over half of the patients with the highest risk score subsequently developed hypotension. The prognostic score had a 48.2% sensitivity with less than 10% of false positives. This score requires external validation before its impact on clinical practice is evaluated., (© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: The frequency, the clinical characteristics, and the prognosis of dengue is highly variable. Dengue fever is associated with a range of neurological manifestations. The objective of the present study was to determine the incidence of neurological signs and their predictive factors using data from cases of dengue seen and followed in Cayenne Hospital during the Dengue 2 epidemic in 2013., Methods: In 2013, a longitudinal study using data from all cases of dengue seen in Cayenne hospital was collected. Medical records used a standardized form to collect demographic information, clinical signs and biological results and the date at which they were present. The analysis used Cox proportional modeling to obtain adjusted Hazard ratios., Results: A total of 1574 patients were included 221 of whom developed central nervous system signs. These signs were spontaneously resolutive. There were 9298person days of follow-up and the overall incidence rate for central nervous system signs was 2.37 per 100 person-days. The variables independently associated with central nervous system anomalies were headache, Adjusted Hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.9(95%CI = 1.4-2.6), bleeding AHR = 2 ((95%CI = 1.3-3.1), P = 0.001, abdominal pain AHR = 1.9 ((95%CI = 1.4-2.6), P<0.001, aches AHR = 2.1 ((95%CI = 1.5-2.9), P<0.001, and fatigue AHR = 1.5 ((95%CI = 1.3-1.7), P<0.001., Discussion: Overall, the present study suggests that neurological signs of dengue are not exceptional even in patients without the most severe features of dengue. These manifestations were spontaneously resolutive. Here it was not possible to distinguish between encephalitis or encephalopathy. Further studies would require more in depth exploration of the patients.

Background: The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of transaminase elevation during dengue, and its predictive factors., Methods: In 2013, a longitudinal study was performed using data from all cases of dengue seen in Cayenne Hospital. Cox proportional modeling was used. Signs of major transaminase elevation were defined as an increase in aspartate amino transferase (AST) or alanine amino transferase (ALT) concentration over 10 times the normal value (10N)., Results: There were 1574 patients and 13 249 person-days of follow-up. The incidence rate for signs of transaminase elevation (10N) was 0.55 per 100 person-days. Six patients had major transaminase elevation with AST>1000 units (0.43 per 1000 patient-days), and 73 patients (4.6%) developed transaminase elevation with AST >10N. The variables independently associated with major transaminase elevation were hyponatremia, low platelets, dehydration, hematocrit increase, food intolerance, positive nonstructural protein 1 (NS1), age over 15 years and the notion of paracetamol intake., Conclusions: Although very frequent, the incidence of major transaminase elevation was lower than reported elsewhere perhaps because of good access to care, or of the particular serotype causing this epidemic. The patients with transaminase elevation tended to be older, more severe and taking paracetamol. ., (© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)