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Blood is one of the most essential parts of the human body, and it comprises of the RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets. Complete blood count characterizes the condition of well-being. Hence, segmentation and identification of blood cells is very important. Up to this day, many hospitals and health centers still use the old conventional method which involves manual counting of blood cells. This technique is time-consuming and prone to erroneous outcomes. On the other hand, there are some costly machines like Hematology Analyzer, which health centers cannot afford. This paper presents a raspberry-pi based image analysis system that is designed to segment and count blood cells from microscopic images of blood using Hue, Saturation, and Value (HSV) thresholding method and connected component labeling, respectively. Detection and counting of RBCs, WBCs, and Platelets have been done on ten microscopic images. Statistical analysis was performed to compare the values measured by the proposed system to the actual complete blood count test result of each patient. It shows that the proposed system has a 90% and up accuracy with respect to the actual CBC tests result. In addition, an android application was also developed to aid the user, especially those who are in rural areas, in assessing the number of blood cells, and to send the results from GUI to a doctor or specialist through short message service (SMS) for remote diagnosis.

Introduction In early 2017, the Regional Unit of Public Health France was solicited for recurring symptoms, mostly irritations and headaches, affecting employees of a 400 people administration office. These symptoms had emerged with the relocation in a new building completely renovated that was characterized by low consumption mode and cumulative new working conditions (open space, reorganization of services). These events led to the evacuation of the building because of non-compliant indoor air analyzes. In order to identify the origin of this episode, surveys were conducted by a multidisciplinary group (epidemiology, occupational health, environment, socio-anthropology) following the recommendations of the National Public Health Agency for the management of unexplained collective syndromes. Methods In this study, three health components were investigated: the environment, the epidemiological context and the psychosocial context. Environmental expertise was conducted on indoor air quality, ventilation, acoustics and lighting. A retrospective cohort epidemiological survey was set up among the employees to characterize the health events in terms of people's time and working conditions (noise, lighting, open space…). Finally, an assessment of the psychosocial context was carried out on the basis of interviews with volunteer employees and through the development of a chronogram of events that occurred in recent months. Results Environmental expertise has revealed a poor ventilation system that may have degraded the quality of indoor air, insufficient thermal comfort, acoustic discomfort and lighting problems. As a result, 78% of employees were symptomatic within 6 months (from October 2016 to April 2017), with a higher attack rate among women (85% vs. 68%, P =0.009) and 89% of people with multiple episodes of symptoms. Individuals presented a variety of symptoms with a higher incidence of headache (58%), asthenia (56%) and eye stinging (42%). For more than 70% of them, the symptoms disappeared when they left the building and for more than 30% when they opened the windows. The occupational doctor registered 28 recognitions of occupational accidents. Problems related to the building (light, noise, ventilation, odors) were more often felt by the symptomatic people. In total, 71% of people were dissatisfied with the work in open-space, the main inconveniences mentioned being: difficulty of concentration, noise and lack of confidentiality. The interviews of the psychosocial component put forward various elements that could have favored the epidemic phenomenon, such as the disruption of the organization of work, a damaged and impersonal work environment or communication problems with management. Conclusions The various investigations led to the identification of many symptomatic people, although we cannot exclude some biases of information and selection, and allowed us characterizing these events as sick building syndrome. The occurrence of various and non-specific symptoms having the particularity of disappearing at the exit of the building, the large number of recurrent cases and the higher attack rate in women are characteristic of these episodes. There are also triggers at the environmental level such as insufficient ventilation and noise- or lighting-related annoyances. The new organization of work in open-space was also a particularly contributory factor. Recommendations on the technical points but also on the working conditions were developed in consultation with the management and will require a mid-term evaluation.

International audience; The first two cases in France of botulism due to Clostridium baratii type F were identified in November 2014, in the same family. Both cases required prolonged respiratory assistance. One of the cases had extremely high toxin serum levels and remained paralysed for two weeks. Investigations strongly supported the hypothesis of a common exposure during a family meal with high level contamination of the source. However, all analyses of leftover food remained negative.

International audience; BACKGROUND:On 22 June 2011, 8 patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or bloody diarrhea were reported in France. All 8 were attendees of a community center event on 8 June near Bordeaux. Three Escherichia coli cases were confirmed by isolation of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O104:H4 stx2 aggR producing a cefotaximase (CTX-M) β-lactamase (STEC O104:H4); the same rare serotype caused the outbreak in Germany in May-July 2011. An investigation was initiated to describe the outbreak, identify the vehicle for infection, and guide control measures.METHODS:We conducted a retrospective cohort study among all adults attending the event, including food handlers. A standardized questionnaire was administered to participants. A case was an attendee who developed HUS or diarrhea between 8 and 24 June. Cases were confirmed by isolation of STEC O104:H4 or O104 serology. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by exposure were calculated using a Poisson regression model.RESULTS:Twenty-four cases were identified (14% attack rate). Of these, 18 (75%) were women, 22 (92%) were adults, 7 (29%) developed HUS, 5 (21%) developed bloody diarrhea, and 12 (50%) developed diarrhea. Ten (42%) cases were confirmed. Fenugreek was the only sprout type with an independent association to illness (RR, 5.1; 95% CI, 2.3-11.1) in multivariable analysis.CONCLUSIONS:This investigation identified a point-source STEC O104:H4 outbreak associated with consumption of fenugreek sprouts. Comparison of results from French and German STEC O104:H4 outbreak investigations enabled identification of a common food vehicle, fenugreek sprouts, and resulted in implementation of Europe-wide control measures in July 2011.

International audience; Following the outbreak of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) on June 2011 in south-western France, household transmission due to Escherichia coli O104:H4 was suspected for two cases who developed symptoms 9 and 10 days after onset of symptoms of the index case. The analysis of exposures and of the incubation period is in favour of a secondary transmission within the family. Recommendations should be reinforced to prevent person-to-person transmission within households.

As of 12:00 28 June 2011, 15 cases of haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) or bloody diarrhoea have been identified in the Gironde, south-west France. Investigations suggest the vehicle of transmission was sprouts, served at an event in Begles on 8 June 2011. A strain of shiga toxin- producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 has been isolated from five cases. This strain is genetically related to the strain identified in the recent E. coli O104:H4 outbreak in Germany, and shares the same virulence and antimicrobial resistance characteristics. .

International audience; A large waterborne outbreak of infection that occurred during August 2000 in a local community in France was investigated initially via a rapid survey of visits to local physicians. A retrospective cohort study was then conducted on a random cluster sample of residents. Of 709 residents interviewed, 202 (28.5%) were definite cases (at least three liquid stools/day or vomiting) and 62 (8.7%) were probable cases (less than three liquid stools/day or abdominal pain). Those who had drunk tap water had a three-fold increased risk for illness (95% CI 2.4-4.0). The risk increased with the amount of water consumed (chi-square trend: p < 0.0001). Bacteriological analyses of stools were performed for 35 patients and virological analyses for 24 patients. Campylobacter coli, group A rotavirus and norovirus were detected in 31.5%, 71.0% and 21% of samples, respectively. An extensive environmental investigation concluded that a groundwater source to this community had probably been contaminated by agricultural run-off, and a failure in the chlorination system was identified. This is the first documented waterborne outbreak of infection involving human C. coli infections. A better understanding of the factors influencing campylobacter transmission between hosts is required.

In August 2004, a case of rabies was diagnosed in a puppy that had been illegally imported from Morocco to Bordeaux (France). Because a great number of people and animals were thought to have come into contact with the puppy, extensive tracing measures were implemented, and an international alert was launched to trace and treat the contacts at risk. One hundred and eighty seven people received post-exposure treatment, eight of whom also received serovaccination, and 57 animals known to have been exposed to the puppy were tested. Six months after the death of the rabid animal, none of the people treated showed any signs of rabies, nor was any secondary animal case reported. The management of this crisis highlights the importance of the role of a rapid alert system at European level. Strict application of sanitary control regulations is essential for animals introduced into EU countries, and all necessary information must be made available to EU residents travelling to rabies enzootic areas.