H Fekih

Publications (3)0.24 Total impact

• Article: Étude séroépidémiologique de la circulation du virus West Nile chez l’Homme en Tunisie

  O. Bahri, I. Dhifallah, N. Ben Alaya-Bouafif, H. Fekih, J. Gargouri, H. Triki
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  ABSTRACT: Le virus West Nile (VWN) est un arbovirus dont la circulation est de plus en plus large dans le monde. Il est fréquemment responsable d’épidémies de méningites et de méningoencéphalites. En Tunisie, deux pics épidémiques ont été observés en 1997 et en 2003 ayant touché les régions du sahel tunisien. Peu de données sont disponibles quant à la circulation de ce virus dans les autres régions, d’où le but de cette étude. Au total, 1 854 sujets sains originaires de trois gouvernorats différents, Kairouan, Bizerte et Sfax, ont été étudiés. Les prélèvements ont été collectés durant la période allant de janvier à décembre 2007. Aucun cas d’infection à VWN n’a été rapporté antérieurement à Bizerte, et uniquement deux cas sporadiques à Kairouan; Sfax par contre a été touché par les deux épidémies. Une recherche des anticorps spécifiques de type IgG a été faite par Elisa indirecte. La séroprévalence globale a été de 12,5 % avec répartition très variable selon les gouvernorats testés. Trois zones d’endémicité différente ont été retrouvées; forte à Kairouan (27,7 %), moyenne à Sfax (7,5 %) et faible à Bizerte (0,7 %). La séroprévalence a été significativement plus élevée chez les sujets âgés de plus de 40 ans à Kairouan. En conclusion, nos résultats montrent que leVWNprésente un risque réel en Tunisie; ce risque est présent non seulement dans les zones touchées par les épidémies antérieures mais aussi dans des gouvernorats qui sembleraient indemnes comme dans le cas de la région de Kairouan. Cela nous incite à instaurer une surveillance active, aussi bien à l’échelle humaine qu’animale, sur tout le territoire tunisien. West Nile virus (WNV) is an arbovirus classified into the family of Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. It is responsible for neurological diseases that occurred frequently as outbreaks and considered as an emerging infection in different regions of the world. In Tunisia, two outbreaks of meningoencephalitis due to this virus occurred, in 1997 and 2003. The virus circulation is studied only in Sahel, region affected by the two epidemics. The aim of this study is to determine if WNV is present in other regions of the country where, up to now, no data are available. A total of 1,854 sera collected from healthy patients were investigated by ELISA to detect specific IgG, during January to December 2007. Patients included are from three governorates: Kairouan, Bizerte, and Sfax. The governorate of Sfax (center of Tunisia) was affected by the two outbreaks, whereas only two cases were observed previously at Kairouan and no cases at Bizerte. Specific IgG were detected in 12.5% of studied population. This seroprevalence varied largely between the three governorates studied. Globally, three regions with different endemicity were described: high endemicity at Kairouan (27.7%), moderate at Sfax (7.5%), and low at Bizerte (0.7%). At Kairouan, the seroprevalence is significantly higher in individuals aged over 40. Our results suggest that WNV circulates in Tunisia; it has a high risk not only in regions affected by previous outbreaks but throughout the country. An active surveillance should be instituted in the country. It must target individuals, and animals, which can be vectors or reservoirs for the virus. Mots clésVirus West Nile –Épidémiologie–Séroprévalence–Kairouan–Bizerte–Sfax–Tunisie–Maghreb Afrique du Nord KeywordsWest Nile virus–Epidemiology–Seroprevalence–Kairouan–Bizerte–Sfax–Tunisia–Maghreb Northern Africa
  Bulletin de la Société de pathologie exotique 05/2012; 104(4):272-276.
• Article: [Sero-epidemiological study of West Nile virus circulation in human in Tunisia].

  O Bahri, I Dhifallah, N Ben Alaya-Bouafif, H Fekih, J Gargouri, H Triki
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  ABSTRACT: West Nile virus (WNV) is an arbovirus classified into the family of Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus. It is responsible for neurological diseases that occurred frequently as outbreaks and considered as an emerging infection in different regions of the world. In Tunisia, two outbreaks of meningoencephalitis due to this virus occurred, in 1997 and 2003. The virus circulation is studied only in Sahel, region affected by the two epidemics. The aim of this study is to determine if WNV is present in other regions of the country where, up to now, no data are available. A total of 1,854 sera collected from healthy patients were investigated by ELISA to detect specific IgG, during January to December 2007. Patients included are from three governorates: Kairouan, Bizerte, and Sfax. The governorate of Sfax (center of Tunisia) was affected by the two outbreaks, whereas only two cases were observed previously at Kairouan and no cases at Bizerte. Specific IgG were detected in 12.5% of studied population. This seroprevalence varied largely between the three governorates studied. Globally, three regions with different endemicity were described: high endemicity at Kairouan (27.7%), moderate at Sfax (7.5%), and low at Bizerte (0.7%). At Kairouan, the seroprevalence is significantly higher in individuals aged over 40. Our results suggest that WNV circulates in Tunisia; it has a high risk not only in regions affected by previous outbreaks but throughout the country. An active surveillance should be instituted in the country. It must target individuals, and animals, which can be vectors or reservoirs for the virus.
  Bulletin de la Société de pathologie exotique 12/2010; 104(4):272-6.
• Article: [Life years lost and epidemiological transition in the Sfax region (Tunisia)].

  M Hsairi, H Fekih, R Fakhfakh, M Kassis, N Achour, J Dammak
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  ABSTRACT: To assess the burden of disease in the Sfax region and identify the main diseases that are the cause of lost life years due to premature death. The calculation of lost life years due to premature death was conducted using the demographic mortality data for the region obtained from the National Institute of Statistics combined with data on the classification of the causes of death collected through a survey on these causes conducted through a random sample taken from half of the deaths in the region. As described by Murray and Lopez, years of life lost as a result of premature death represent the difference between the age of death and an age corresponding to life expectancy falling between 65 and 85 years. Out of a total of 52,316 life years lost that were recorded 27,902 were in the male population and 24,414 in the female. The main diseases found in males which cause lost life years are accidents (24.9%), cardiovascular diseases (17.3%), communicable diseases (17%), respiratory diseases (10.8%), prenatal problems (59.5%), and cancer (7.5%). For women the main causes were cardiovascular diseases (26.5%), respiratory illness (15.5%), accidents (11.5%), communicable diseases (10.3%) and cancer (9.5%). These results marking the epidemiological transition in the region should serve to steer decision-makers to better rationalize and plan for health care costs and expenditure.
  Santé Publique 04/2003; 15(1):25-37. · 0.24 Impact Factor