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The geographic range of the zoonotic raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is expanding together with the range of its host, the raccoon (Procyon lotor). This creates a new public health risk in parts of Europe where this parasite was previously absent. In the Netherlands, a raccoon population is becoming established and incidental findings of B. procyonis have been reported. To assess the risk to public health, the prevalence of B. procyonis was determined in the province of Limburg, where currently the largest Dutch raccoon population is present, as well as in the adjoining region of southern Belgium. Furthermore, genetic methods were employed to assess invasion pathways of both the raccoon and B. procyonis to aid in the development of control measures. Macroscopic analysis of intestinal content and testing of faecal samples were performed to detect B. procyonis adults and eggs. The population genetics of both B. procyonis and its raccoon host were analysed using samples from central and northwestern Europe. B. procyonis was found in 14/23 (61%, 95% CI: 41%-78%) raccoons from Limburg, but was not detected in 50 Belgian raccoons. Genetic analyses showed that the majority of the Dutch raccoons and their roundworms were introduced through ex-captive individuals. As long as free-living raccoon populations originate from captivity, population control methods may be pursued. However, natural dispersal from the border regions will complicate prolonged population control. To reduce the public health risk posed by B. procyonis, public education to increase awareness and adapt behaviour towards raccoons is key., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the absorption of finasteride administered by oral and topical routes for treatment of androgenetic alopecia, by means of computer simulations using the GastroPlus ® software., Material and Methods: In vivo plasma concentration profile of oral administration of finasteride 1 mg tablets from the literature was used in the software to build a compartmental pharmacokinetic model that was extrapolated to simulate topical administration of finasteride 0.25% solution in the scalp. Results were compared to literature and other drug concentrations (0.1% and 1%) were also predicted., Results: Compared to literature data, predictive plasma curve from oral administration of finasteride 1 mg showed good correlation, R 2 =0.992, and Cmax=4.6769 ng/mL. Simulations of topical administration in the scalp for finasteride 0.25% solution showed good correlation, R 2 =0.908, and Cmax=0.04325 ng/mL when compared to literature data. Topical administration was also simulated at concentrations 0.1% and 1%, both with low plasma concentrations., Conclusion: The results obtained in this study suggest that topical finasteride is a potential treatment for androgenetic alopecia in the concentrations analyzed using computer simulations in GastroPlus ®., (Copyright © 2021 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The impact of the global economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will not affect all children equally: those in poorer households and children who are disadvantaged face the most serious consequences. As parents lose their jobs and incomes, the impact on children living in impoverished households must be measured. In this article, we assess the economic consequences of the pandemic on these children. Given that poorer families have a larger number of children than other families, the analysis first establishes the proportion of children living in monetary poor households, as defined by national standards, across developing countries. Then, using historical changes and trends of income distribution per country, the latest projections about economic decline due to the pandemic, and demographic information about the distribution of children by deciles, we estimate the expected increase in the number of children in monetary poor households in developing countries as of end of 2020 to be an additional 122-144 million and, at best, a moderate decline in these numbers by end of 2021., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021.)

We report the case of an atypical disseminated leishmaniasis with similar clinical characteristics to post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis, an uncommon disease in South America. This occurred in a Brazilian patient with AIDS, 3 years after the first episode of American visceral leishmaniasis.