Epidémie de dysentérie bacillaire.

An outbreak of bacillary dysentery in 1978 affecting 928 persons, most of whom were living in the village of St-Jacques, PQ, is described. An epidemiologic study suggested the water supply as the source of the infection, and it was established that the water carried by the municipal aqueduct was contaminated by feces containing the causal agent, Shigella sonnei. This epidemic, the largest mentioned in he Canadian medical literature, demonstrates how contagious this infection is.     

Prévalence d'Aeromonas spp. dans les gastro-entérites de l'enfant.

A selective medium and biochemical tests were used to search for Aeromonas spp. in the stools of 536 children, more than 90% of whom had "gastroenteritis", seen at Sainte-Justine Hospital, Montreal, in June or July 1986. The organism was found in seven children, six of whom had bloody diarrhea. One of the six, a 6 1/2-year-old boy, required intravenous alimentation and later manifested ulcerative colitis; the other five recovered. The remaining child, a 14-year-old boy, had synovitis of the knee and spondylarthritis. Two of the seven carried other enteric pathogens. The authors discuss the pathogenicity of Aeromonas spp., which is not very marked in temperate climates, in human summer diarrhea and its possible role in the development of ulcerative colitis.     

Testostérone circulante et cancer de la prostate. Revue de données récentes

In vitro andin vivo studies show that androgens stimulate prostate cancer. However, evidence from epidemiological studies of an association between circulating levels of androgens and prostate cancer risk has been inconsistent, but most studies have likely been undersized given that the association may be relatively weak. We review prospective studies on the association of serum levels of free and total testosterone, the principal androgen in circulation with risk of prostate cancer. No significant association between total or free testosterone and risk of prostate cancer was found in studies that together included 1,525 cases of prostate cancer and 4,349 controls. No support was found for the hypothesis that high levels of circulating testosterone within a physiological range stimulate development and growth of prostate cancer. Intraprostatic androgen metabolism may still be of importance for prostate cancer development.     

Variations de l'incidence des fractures de l'extrémité supérieure du fémur chez les personnes agées de la région de Québec.

To estimate the incidence of fracture of the proximal end of the femur in people aged 50 years or older living in the Quebec area in 1971, 1976 and 1981 we determined the number of admissions for such fractures to the 15 acute care hospitals in the region. From 1971 to 1981 the number of fractures increased by 71%; the increases for those aged 75 to 84 years and 85 years or over were 98% and 118% respectively. The variation is only partly explained by changes in sex and age distribution of the population; the incidence rates also increased. Among men aged 75 to 84 years the incidence rate per 1000 person-years rose from 2.63 in 1971 to 5.22 in 1981, an increase of 98%; the corresponding figures for men aged 85 years or more were 9.76 and 16.91, an increase of 73%. Among women aged 75 to 84 years the rate rose from 7.28 to 8.81, an increase of 21%; the corresponding figures for women aged 85 years or more were 20.40 and 24.27, an increase of 21% and 19% respectively.     

Comparaison de deux modes de prophylaxie de l'infection urinaire chez l'enfant avec le triméthoprime--sulfaméthoxazole.

Two types of prophylaxis of urinary tract infection with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ) were studied in 72 children with recurrent urinary tract infections or vesicoureteral reflux or both. Daily prophylaxis only was used in 36 children and thrice-weekly prophylaxis only in 25 others, and 11 children received successively both types of prophylaxis. The same dosage was used in all cases: 2 mg/kg of TMP and 10 mg/kg of SMZ, given at bedtime. With daily prophylaxis the infection rate over 556 patient-months was 5.4 cases per 1000 patient-months, compared with 285.4 cases in the year before prophylaxis; side effects were noted in 11% of the patients during treatment. With thrice-weekly prophylaxis the infection rate over 381 patient-months was 15.7 cases per 1000 patient-months, compared with 313.6 cases in the year before prophylaxis; only 3% of the patients receiving this treatment had a side effect that was possibly drug-related. These results indicate that effective prophylaxis of urinary tract infection in children can be obtained with these two types of treatment.     

Étude de l'effet de la température sur la division des cellules séparées de feuilles deCalystegia sepium (L.) R.Br.

Cells mechanically isolated from homogenized leaves ofC. sepium dividein vitro. The rate of cell division is strongly influenced by temperature with the optimum between 31 and 34 °C. The rate of cell division increases proportionally with a rise in temperature up to 31 °C and is accompanied by a reduction in the length of the preparatory phase of the division. A supraoptimal temperature (40 °C) inhibits or stops the cell division which can be restored provided that the cells are transferred to 31 °C. If the preparatory phase to the commencement of cell division is accomplished at 17 °C the cells then exposed to 31 °C divide more rapidly than if they are exposed directly to 31 °C.