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Background: Within the framework of routine fitness examinations, French Air Force military crew underwent urine testing for 3,4 methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA [ecstasy]). The cross-reactivity of a dyslipidemic drug, fenofibrate, with an MDMA immunoassay was studied and confirmed on a large population sample.Methods: A 3-year retrospective study was performed on the MDMA DRI Ecstasy Assay on the Unicel DXC 600. In the event of positive test result, a confirmatory testing was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to establish the presence of MDMA. When analysis by GC/MS did not confirm the presence of MDMA, a false-positive result was suspected and the samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify a potential interfering substance.Results: A total of 15,169 urine samples, from 7,803 patients, were tested for 3 years. Of the tested samples, 22 (0.15%) were positive by DRI Ecstasy Assay. None of them were positive by GC/MS. A cross-reactivity of fenofibrate's metabolite with MDMA using this assay was systematically found.Conclusion: Fenofibrate's interference with MDMA immunoassay was confirmed. Fenofibrate being widely prescribed, physicians had to be alerted that this treatment could lead to false-positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of purine nucleosides on the in vitro growth of Cryptosporidium parvum was studied. Culturing the parasite in THP-1 cells for 72 h in growth medium supplemented with adenosine or inosine improved the parasite yields especially in the first 48 h. Similar results were obtained with parasites cultured in Madin–Darby bovine kidney cells and incubated for 24 h with inosine. The addition of inosine to 72-h cultures enhanced the growth of C. parvum in THP-1 cells, especially the trophic stages, whereas the analogue formycin B was toxic to the parasites and induced a marked decrease in the gamont stages. The monitoring of the added purine nucleosides by high performance liquid chromatography showed that at 37°C in the presence of THP-1 cells, a rapid uptake of inosine occurred with hypoxanthine being the main purine present after 2 h in the medium. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: In the French armed forces, the biological checkup required during the recruitment process comprises a urinalysis (urinary dipstick), a complete blood count (CBC), and measurement of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, fasting blood glucose, and creatinine. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of this biological checkup and to determine the most relevant parameters.Materials and Methods: We conducted a monocentric retrospective study of all standardized and systematically conducted blood tests (CBC and measurement of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, fasting blood glucose, and creatinine) over a 15-month period among 726 French Army recruits.Results: The population included mainly young males (85.4%, mean age 21.6 years). More than half (54.1%) of the blood tests had at least one abnormal parameter, most often concerning the CBC. Anemia occurred in 5.3% of the population and was mostly normocytic. Microcytosis was mostly not associated with anemia (72.3% of cases). Lymphopenia occurred in 20.1% of the population and was mostly mild. Eosinophilia was present in 5.1% of the population and was never severe. Thrombocytopenia occurred in 0.7% of the population and was never severe. Serum levels of aminotransferases were elevated in 8.1% of the population. Fasting plasma glucose averaged 84 mg/dL (SD: 0.07) ranging from 64 to 123 mg/dL, was abnormal in 0.4% of the population, and one case of diabetes was diagnosed. Serum creatinine concentration was elevated in 0.7% of the population.Conclusion: CBCs gave useful information but iron deficiency was common and insufficiently detected by this single analysis. Assessing aminotransferase levels without screening for viral hepatitis and systematic measurement of fasting plasma glucose levels did not appear to be efficient. In addition, the only interest in systematic measurement of creatinine serum levels was to obtain a reference level for long-term follow-up. In addition to the urinary dipstick, the systematic biological checkup at recruitment could be limited to a CBC with measurement of plasma ferritin levels and Hepatitis B virus serology, providing that any CBC abnormalities, in particular cytopenia, eosinophilia, and microcytosis, are systematically investigated. For a public health approach, systematic screening for other sexually transmitted infections could be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]