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Tetanus is a major public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Localised tetanus is rare, unlike generalized tetanus which has been sufficiently described in the literature. We report a case of localised tetanus with no obvious entry site managed in the Department of Infectious Diseases in Bamako. The study involved a retired nurse aged 59 years who had not undergone tetanus booster immunisation within the last 10 years, corresponding to the date of her last delivery. She was referred to our Hospital with dysphagia associated with inability to open the buccal cavity. Patient's history was characterized by long-term therapy associated with many specialized consultations without any improvement. The diagnosis of localised tetanus with no obvious entry site was retained after having excluded any other local disorder. Outcome was favorable ten days after adequate management. Underdiagnosed or unknown to health-care providers, localised tetanus may mimic other diseases delaying diagnosis and management. Targeted campaign to build awareness should be implemented in order to improve adherence with immunization schedules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical image Xanthoma disseminatum is a proliferative non-Langerhans histiocytosis first described by Montgomery in 1938. We here report the case of a 8-year-old Senegalese boy having skin type VI who died. In 2015 this boy presented with slowly progressive dermatosis, which had occurred at the age of 7 years. Dermatological examination showed diffuse xanthomatous orange papules and nodules on the trunk, axillary and inguinal folds, scrotum, neck and face. Extradermatological examination was normal. Histopathological examination of a skin biopsy showed dermal infiltrate composed of histiocytes and multinucleated giant Touton cells. The diagnosis of non-Langerhans histiocytosis was retained, subject to immunohistochemical analyses which were not availabe. Immunohistochemical analyses were too expensive in the absence of health insurance (our patient was from a low socio-economic background). Tests measuring the amount of lipids were normal. At the age of 11 years, diabetes insipidus and systemic involvement of mediastinopulmonary and abdominal and pelvic organs supported the diagnosis of xanthoma disseminatum. Mediastino-pulmonary disease was complicated by pneumonitis with dyspnoea which didn´t regress on prednisone treatment (1mg/kg/day). The patient underwent surgical resection of a massive mediastinal mass that compressed the organs. Five months later (in 2019), the patient died due to respiratory distress. The difficulty of diagnosing non-Langerhans histiocytosis in our context is largely related to the inaccessibility of immunohistochemistry. Indeed, if CD68 positive and CD1a negative labeling cells had been early detected, fairly early diagnosis would be made. Thus, we could have offered treatments to improve the quality of child´s life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: constipation is rare in sub-Saharan Africa, due to the high intake of dietary fiber. The purpose of this work was to describe the different clinical features of functional constipation in the general population in Cotonou and to determine the impact of diet on its occurrence. Methods: this study was conducted from July to August 2017. Subjects were considered affected by functional constipation when criteria for Rome IV or Bristol stool scale were completed. Results: in total, 1058 participants were enrolled: (574 men, sex-ratio 1.2; average age 29 years). The prevalence of functional constipation was 24.2% (Rome IV) and 20.4% (Bristol stool scale). Clinical manifestat ions were dominated by the emission of hard or fragmented stools (90.6%), pushing efforts during defecation (78.9%), and feeling of incomplete evacuation (76.2%). Dietary habits among people affected by constipation were: at breakfast, maize meal + donut/peanuts (39.1%), lunch, corn dough (38.7%), at dinner, corn dough (57.4%), and as a snack banana (35.5%). There was no statistically significant relationship between constipation and morning meal (p=0.09), lunch meal (p=0.901), snack (p=0.09) or dinner (p=0.75) respectively. Conclusion: the emission of hard or fragmented stools was the most common clinical manifestation among people affected by constipation living in Cotonou. Dietary habits do not influence the occurrence of functional constipation in our case series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) have been increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. Coronary angiography data have been rarely reported. This study aims to investigate coronary lesions observed in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) in Abidjan. Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study from 1st January 2010 to 31st December 2014. All patients with ACS admitted to the Abidjan Heart Institute and undergoing coronary angiography during the study period were included. Two hundred and fifty-six patients were selected. We investigated and compared coronary lesions in patients with ACS associated with persistent ST-segment elevation (ACS ST+) and in those with ACS without STsegment elevation (ACS ST-). Results: the average age of patients was 53.2 ± 10.8 years; there was a male predominance, with a sex ratio of 6.1. Abnormal coronary angiography rate was significantly higher in the STEMI group (95.4% and 64.2% respectively, p < 0.001). Three hundred and four coronary lesions were found in the STEMI group against 43 in the NSTE-ACS group. Stenotic lesions were predominantly one-vessel disease (45.3%) in the STEMI group and two or three-vessel disease in the NSTE-ACS group (68.0%). Type B1 lesions were more common in the NSTE-ACS group (62.8% versus 36.5%, p = 0.002). The most complex type C lesions were more commonly found in the STEMI group (17.8%), with no significant difference. The majority of patients had SYNTAX score less than 22, whatever the type of ACS (87.4% in the STEMI group and 90.1% in the NSTE-ACS group). Conclusion: coronary lesions in the patients group with STEMI were predominantly one-vessel disease and they were more diffuse in the NSTE-ACS group, but with a higher proportion of angiographically normal coronary arteries. The management of patients with these lesions is based in the majority of cases on coronary angioplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the aim of this study was to describe our experience with the use of GeneXpert and to evaluate its contribution to confirmation of the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Methods: descriptive, analytical and prospective study conducted from January 2013 to December 2013 Results: ninetyfour patients underwent GeneXpert test for tuberculosis detection in patient in whom there is a clinical suspicion. GeneXpert was positive in 62% of cases. The radiological images which were highly suggestive of tuberculosis were associated with positive GeneXpert in 25% of cases. AFB was performed in 55 patients and was positive in 9 cases (16%) GeneXpert was positive in 46 sputum-negative (54%) and in 89% of sputum-positive The prevalence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis was 34%. The positivity rate was variable depending on the type of sample. Two cases with rifampicine resistance were detected. Conclusion: GeneXpert was a great contribution to the diagnosis of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis but bacilloscopy remains essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epilepsy is a neurological disease common among children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Although its exact prevalence in this population is unknown, it is probably similar to that found in the general population because of its early onset (60% starts before the age of 20 years) and the absence of bimodal distribution found in western countries. This review acknowledges the reality that current management of pediatric epilepsy in SSA is imperfect. To reverse this trend, the challenges are three fold: better education, improved therapeutics and more research. Doctors need to be trained in the practice of pediatric neurology and provided with working conditions that limit the brain drain. The resources necessary for the proper management of children with epilepsy in SSA need to be identified and provided (better availability of antiepileptic drugs, clear national guidelines, proper registration of traditional healers etc...). Finally, it is imperative that research be conducted to establish accurate incidence and prevalence figures for pediatric epilepsy, so that targeted control measures can be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

L'intérêt de l'endoscopie dans la résection des polypes colorectaux a été rapporté dans plusieurs études. Les techniques de résection endoscopique sont multiples et maîtrisées dans les pays occidentaux. La technique de mucosectomie endoscopique et celle de la pose d'une anse largable en nylon (endoloop) ont élargi le champ des lésions résécables par endoscopie. Toutefois, malgré cette évolution, la vulgarisation de la polypectomie n'est pas effective. En Afrique subsaharienne, la prise en charge de ces polypes de grande taille nécessite souvent une intervention chirurgicale à ciel ouvert ou une évacuation sanitaire onéreuse dans un pays en Occident. Nous rapportons une nouvelle approche de polypectomie endoscopique des polypes pédiculés colorectaux, en utilisant un lasso largable au fil catgut chromé 2/0. Les polypes pédiculés étaient situés soit au niveau du sigmoïde soit au rectum. Après avoir passé le lasso autour du pédicule, le n'ud du lasso est serré autour de celui-ci pour strangulation. En moyenne 6 jours après la procédure, le polype est récupéré dans les selles. Une colonoscopie de contrôle est nécessaire pour confirmer la résection du polype. Cette technique peu coûteuse et accessible, devrait être vulgarisée dans les pays en voie de développement avec des plateaux techniques pauvres. Elle a ses limites et ses inconvénients qui doivent être connus de l'opérateur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Le but de cette étude était de déterminer la prévalence de l'hypotension orthostatique (HO) chez les hypertendus noirs africains traités, et rechercher ses facteurs favorisants. Méthodes: Il s'est agi d'une étude prospective transversale menée du 1er février 2007 au 31 janvier 2009 à la clinique cardiologique du CHU Campus de Lomé, incluant des patients régulièrement traités pour hypertension artérielle. La pression artérielle et la fréquence cardiaque étaient mesurées en décubitus dorsal puis immédiatement en orthostatisme (1ère et 3ème minutes). Résultats: Sur une population de 394 patients hypertendus traités, 81 cas d'HO (20,5 %) ont été observés dont 53 (65,4 %) étaient symptomatiques. Il s'agissait de 188 femmes (49,2%) et de 206 hommes (50,8%). L'âge moyen des hypertendus était de 53,4 ans ± 11,2 avec des extrêmes de 26 ans et de 81ans. Les patients ayant présenté une HO avaient un âge moyen significativement plus élevé : 60 ans contre 51 ans chez les autres (p= 0,01). L'HO était plus fréquente chez les patients traités par antihypertenseurs centraux, les patients ayant présenté un accident vasculaire cérébral, les diabétiques, les obèses. Conclusion: L'hypotension orthostatique est fréquente chez les hypertendus noirs africains traités. Il faut la rechercher systématiquement chez tous les hypertendus surtout mal contrôlés car elle peut être non seulement un facteur de mauvaise observance thérapeutique, mais aussi un facteur de risque cardiovasculaire indépendant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Le syndrome d'activation macrophagique (SAM) est une complication du lupus érythémateux systémique (LES), due à l'activation et la prolifération incontrôlée des macrophages dans la moelle osseuse. La bycytopénie voire la pancytopénie est constante. Nous rapportons un cas atypique de SAM diagnostiqué au même moment qu'un LES chez une patiente noire de 17 ans. Le tableau initial associait une fièvre, un syndrome inflammatoire, une anémie, un taux normal de leucocytes et plus surprenant, une thrombocytose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]