RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate clinical and laboratory features of patients with Influenza A H1N1 virus infection hospitalized during 2009/2010 pandemic. METHODS: Prospective observational study comparing clinical and laboratory characteristics of Influenza A H1N1 positive and negative patients with influenza-like illness (ILI). RESULTS: From October 21, 2009 to February 14, 2010 196 ILI patients were admitted, of which 66 tested positive for Influenza A H1N1. The patients with H1N1 infection were younger (43 years vs. 65 years; P < 0.01), more patients were pregnant (P < 0.01), had allergies (P < 0.05) or, asthma (P < 0.01). H1N1 positive patients were more often febrile (91% vs. 72.9%; P < 0.01) and had a higher prevalence of headache (31.8% vs. 18.5%; P < 0.05). Lower values of C-reactive protein (88 pg/dl vs. 126 pg/dl; P < 0.01), procalcitonine (0.42 µg/l vs. 3.98 µg/l; P < 0.05), leukocyte count (7.4*10(9)/l vs. 11.7*10(9)/l; P < 0.01) and higher values of troponin (0.162 µ/l vs. 0.146 µg/l; P < 0.01) were found in H1N1 positive patients. More bacterial infections were found in H1N1 negative group (68.8% vs. 89.2%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study patients infected with Influenza A H1N1 differed from H1N1 negative ILI patients in several clinical and laboratory characteristics. The same was observed also by other investigators. The results of the study suggest some other specific features, such as a higher incidence of headache and higher values of troponin in Influenza A H1N1 infected patients.
Asunto(s)
Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Subtipo H1N1 del Virus de la Influenza A/aislamiento & purificación , Gripe Humana/diagnóstico , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , Pandemias/estadística & datos numéricos , Habitaciones de Pacientes/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Distribución por Edad , Anciano , Anciano de 80 o más Años , Femenino , Humanos , Gripe Humana/microbiología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Prevalencia , Medición de Riesgo , Factores de Riesgo , Distribución por Sexo , Eslovenia/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND/AIMS: While an optimal treatment of chronic hepatitis C has not yet been established, it has been demonstrated that the interferon alpha/ribavirin combination is more effective than interferon alpha monotherapy. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and forty-three patients with chronic hepatitis C received the following treatment: eighty patients an 18-month monotherapy (3-month follow-up) and sixty-three patients a 12-month combined therapy (6-month follow-up). Therapeutic efficacy and adverse effects were compared. RESULTS: In 80 patients in the monotherapy group, complete response was achieved in 49.2%. This was reduced to 27.5% three months after therapy. Significant differences were observed in HCV 3 genotype where complete response was achieved in 12 out of 14 patients (p=0.01). With the combined therapy administered to 63 patients, complete response was achieved in 54.5%. This was reduced to 43.2% after 6 months of follow-up. Among the responders or partial responders, significant differences were observed with regard to age (p=0.0047) and subtype 1b (p=0.012). Comparing the groups of naive patients and relapsers, a statistically significant difference (p=0.027) was found in therapeutic efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: In the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, combined therapy proved more effective than monotherapy. This is, however, not yet a satisfactory solution.
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Antivirales/uso terapéutico , Hepatitis C Crónica/tratamiento farmacológico , Ribavirina/uso terapéutico , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Antivirales/administración & dosificación , Quimioterapia Combinada , Femenino , Genotipo , Virus de la Hepatitis B/clasificación , Virus de la Hepatitis B/genética , Humanos , Interferón alfa-2 , Interferón-alfa/administración & dosificación , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Estudios Prospectivos , ARN Viral/análisis , Proteínas Recombinantes , Ribavirina/administración & dosificación , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
The performance of the Digene Hybrid Capture II HBV DNA Test HC II and the Roche Cobas Amplicor Monitor Test (Cobas-HBV) was evaluated on 252 serum samples. One hundred and seventy-three samples were HBV DNA positive and 75 HBV DNA negative by both assays. Four samples were HBV DNA positive by Cobas-HBV only. Linear regression analysis showed that the HBV DNA concentrations obtained from both assays were significantly related (n=173, r=0.976, P<0.0001). The results of the study show that Hybrid capture II and Cobas-HBV could be used equally in the management for patients with chronic HBV infection.
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ADN Viral/sangre , Virus de la Hepatitis B/genética , Virus de la Hepatitis B/aislamiento & purificación , Hepatitis B Crónica/diagnóstico , Hepatitis B Crónica/virología , Automatización , Hepatitis B Crónica/sangre , Humanos , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Sensibilidad y Especificidad , Virología/métodosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: To search for a possible source of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in saliva, the presence and shedding patterns of HCV in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and saliva of HCV viremic patients were assessed based on clinical, biochemical, histological, virological, and oral health parameters. METHODS: Saliva and GCF samples of 50 HCV viremic patients were collected to detect HCV RNA by a modified commercial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Clinical oral examination was performed and periodontal status at the collection sites was monitored. The results were correlated to specified parameters. RESULTS: HCV RNA was detected in 59% (29/49) of the GCF specimens and in 35% (17/48) of the saliva specimens. In saliva specimens, HCV RNA was detected only in cases which also had detectable HCV RNA in the GCF samples (P=0.00002) and was significantly related to the presence of blood in saliva (P=0.03). Higher, but not significant, values of oral clinical parameters at the sites of fluid collection were found in GCF specimens harboring HCV RNA. In GCF specimens with no blood detected, HCV RNA was more often present in cases with higher plasma viral load (P=0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that besides blood, the other most probable source of HCV in saliva is GCF. Unknown endogenous HCV inhibitory mechanisms in the oral cavity may explain the discrepancies in HCV appearance between saliva and GCF. The results provide a biologic basis for further investigation of the role of HCV in the pathogenesis of periodontal disease.
Asunto(s)
Líquido del Surco Gingival/virología , Hepacivirus/genética , ARN Viral/análisis , Saliva/virología , Adulto , Anciano , Alanina Transaminasa/sangre , Índice de Placa Dental , Femenino , Genotipo , Líquido del Surco Gingival/química , Hepacivirus/clasificación , Hepatitis C Crónica/sangre , Hepatitis C Crónica/metabolismo , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Sangre Oculta , Pérdida de la Inserción Periodontal/clasificación , Pérdida de la Inserción Periodontal/virología , Índice Periodontal , Bolsa Periodontal/clasificación , Bolsa Periodontal/virología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa , Estadística como Asunto , Viremia/virología , Esparcimiento de Virus/fisiologíaRESUMEN
Comparative evaluation of the semiautomated COBAS AMPLICOR hepatitis B virus (HBV) MONITOR Test (COBAS-HBV) and manual AMPLICOR HBV MONITOR Test (AMPLICOR-HBV) on 208 serum samples revealed no significant difference in the sensitivities of the two assays. Twenty samples tested HBV DNA negative and 183 samples tested HBV DNA positive by both assays. Three samples tested positive by COBAS-HBV only and two samples tested positive by AMPLICOR-HBV only. HBV DNA concentrations determined by the two assays were significantly related (n = 183, r = 0.97, P < 0.0001), which indicates that COBAS-HBV could replace AMPLICOR-HBV. The major inconvenience of COBAS-HBV is the required performance of appropriate predilutions of high-titer samples in order to extend the narrow dynamic range of the assay.