Institut de veille sanitaire

About: Institut de veille sanitaire is a healthcare organization based out in Saint-Maurice, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 1055 authors who have published 1547 publications receiving 56945 citations. The organization is also known as: INVS & InVS.

Epidemiological characteristics and medical follow-up of 61 patients with acute hepatitis C identified through the hepatitis C surveillance system in France.

Abstract: This study aimed to describe current epidemiological and clinical characteristics, medical follow-up and outcome in the real practice of acute hepatitis C (AHC) patients. AHC cases were retrospectively identified through the French Hepatology Reference Centres Surveillance system and additional data were collected. Sixty-one patients with AHC were identified (sex ratio: M/F 1.7/1; mean age 39 years). Forty-four (72%) had documented seroconversion within a 6-month period. Main reported risk exposures were intravenous or nasal drug use (35%), invasive medical procedures (25%) and sexual contact with a HCV-positive partner (20%). Spontaneous clearance of HCV RNA was observed in seven out of 16 patients followed without therapy. This study confirms the major role of drug use in HCV transmission and highlights the role of invasive medical procedures and occupational exposure.

Short-term effect of pollen exposure on drug consumption for allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to analyse the short-term relationship between pollen exposure and allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis (ARC) using drug deliveries in two urban areas in the south of France, from 2004 to 2007. An ARC case was defined as the association of an oral antihistamine drug and a local (nose or eye) antiallergenic drug on the same medical prescription. Generalized additive models and generalized additive distributed lag models, taking into account confounding factors such as meteorological data or days of the week, were computed to estimate the relationship between pollen counts and ARC. This study showed a statistically significant association between pollen concentration in the air and the increase in the number of deliveries in pharmacy for ARC in both urban areas. This relation was statistically significant in at least one of the two studied cities for Artemisia, Plantaginanceae, Poaceae, Cupressaceae, Quercus, Fraxinus, Olea, Pinus and Populus. In this southern area of France where Cupressaceae planting is very developed, relative risks estimated for an interquartile increase in Cupressaceae pollen concentration were 1.09 (1.06–1.13) in Montpellier and 1.03 (1.01–1.04) in Nimes. These results indicate that Cupressaceae planting has a population health impact and that alternative needs to be developed.

Les chercheurs d’or et la pollution par le mercure en Guyane française : conséquences environnementales et sanitaires

Abstract: Les activites d’orpaillage en Guyane francaise sont a l’origine d’une double pollution mercurielle, liee aux rejets de la forme elementaire du metal (Hg°) utilisee en tant qu’agent d’amalgamation et a l’erosion des sols tres anciens du Bassin amazonien, naturellement riches en mercure inorganique (HgII). Hormis les expositions professionnelles via l’inhalation du Hg° (brulage des amalgames, raffinage de l’or), la contamination des populations humaines repose sur la consommation des produits de la peche, plus precisement des poissons carnivores et piscivores. Ils accumulent de fortes concentrations de mercure, superieures a la norme definie par l’Organisation mondiale de la sante de 0,5 μg Hg/g (poids frais), par le biais de la bioamplification le long des chaines alimentaires de la forme organique du metal, le monomethylmercure (MMHg). Ce dernier resulte de la methylation du HgII par les bacteries, au sein des milieux aquatiques anoxiques (sediments, barrages…). Par le jeu de transferts cumulatifs « proies/predateurs », la bioamplification conduit a des concentrations du MMHg dans le tissu musculaire des poissons situes au sommet des reseaux trophiques plusieurs dizaines de millions de fois superieures a celles qui sont mesurees dans la fraction dissoute des milieux aquatiques. Ainsi, les populations humaines qui consomment ces poissons quotidiennement, et en grande quantite, presentent des niveaux d’impregnation, estimes par le dosage du mercure dans les cheveux, superieurs a la norme qui est actuellement de 10 μg Hg/g. Tel est le cas en Guyane des communautes amerindiennes du Haut-Maroni. Les etudes epidemiologiques sur le developpement psychomoteur de l’enfant qui ont ete conduites chez les Amerindiens de Guyane montrent de legeres baisses de performances sur les tests mesurant la coordination motrice et l’organisation visuospatiale. Ces resultats sont conformes a la litterature internationale pour ces niveaux d’exposition. Les actions entreprises actuellement par les autorites sanitaires s’orientent vers la reduction des nouvelles contaminations et vers l’information des communautes amerindiennes, plus particulierement les femmes enceintes et allaitantes et les jeunes enfants, de facon a inflechir leurs pratiques alimentaires vers la consommation des especes de poissons les moins contaminees.