B Acad Nat Med Paris
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B Acad Nat Med Paris · Nov 2009
[Risk of importation of tropical diseases in metropolitan France: dectection, alert, response].
The French public health institute is responsible for promoting and coordinating threats the detection and assessment of health risks, and for suggesting possible responses. Transmissible diseases affecting both human and animal health are the focus of surveillance networks. Early detection of potential infectious threats is based on the screening of "alert signals" identified through routine surveillance networks and other systems. ⋯ This article examines specific cases illustrating the process of detection, risk analysis and response, with respect to infectious threats that are endemic in tropical regions and have the potential to be imported into metropolitan France. For both novel pathogens and exotic diseases--which, not being endemic in France, are less well known--the analysis and response process must regularly be adapted to the latest epidemiological, clinical and biological findings, taking interactions between the pathogen, host, and environment into consideration. The need to improve reaction times and risk assessment is also discussed.
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Among connective tissue diseases, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is frequently associated with systemic sclerosis and systemic lupus erythematosus. PAH is less common in mixed connective tissue diseases and Sjögren's syndrome, and rare in rheumatoid arthritis. ⋯ The prevalence of PAH among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is poorly known; immunosuppressive treatment is sometimes effective by itself but most patients benefit from PAH treatment. PAH associated with connective tissue diseases has a worse prognosis than idiopathic PAH.
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B Acad Nat Med Paris · Nov 2009
[Emerging multidrug-resistant microorganisms among travelers returning to France and persons repatriated from foreign hospitals].
The spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria has become a major problem in France in recent years, owing to increasing antibiotic exposure, growing international exchanges, repatriation of hospitalized French patients, and treatment of French and foreign travelers in French hospitals. This article examines how different pathogens may become endemic in France.