Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Verghese

Publications and source records attributed to A Verghese.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

In vitro activity of cefpodoxime proxetil (U-76,252; CS-807) against clinical isolates of Branhamella catarrhalis.

Cefpodoxime proxetil (U-76,252; CS-807) is a new esterified oral cephem antibiotic with a broad antibacterial spectrum. Since data regarding the activity of cefpodoxime against Branhamella catarrhalis are limited, we tested its activity against 200 B. catarrhalis isolates. The drug was highly active against beta-lactamase-negative and -positive isolates; 99% of all strains tested showed a cefpodoxime proxetil MIC of less than or equal to 2.0 micrograms/ml.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1989

Corynebacterium xerosis as a cause of vertebral osteomyelitis.

We report a patient who developed Corynebacterium xerosis vertebral osteomyelitis 6 months following a decompressive laminectomy. Prolonged parenteral and subsequent oral therapy for 11 months resulted in apparent cure. This is the first reported case of vertebral osteomyelitis caused by C. xerosis.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMed1989

Factors associated with the course and outcome of schizophrenia in India. Results of a two-year multicentre follow-up study.

The paper describes the two-year follow-up results from 323 out of 386 patients fulfilling a modified version of Feighner's criteria for diagnosis of schizophrenia, in Lucknow, Vellore, and Madras. There was remission in 66% of cases. Short duration of illness, consistent compliance with medication, positive attitudes of relatives and neighbours, absence of economic difficulties, increase in religious activities on the part of patients, a rural background, and a non-schizoid pre-morbid personality were associated with good outcome. Features of depression, dangerous behaviour, and absence of agitation were associated with poor outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Disseminated echovirus infection in a patient with multiple myeloma and a functional defect in complement. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin.

A man with IgG1 multiple myeloma developed fever, confusion, and progressive muscle weakness resulting in paralysis. Echovirus type 11 was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid, pleura, pleural fluid, and muscle, and muscle biopsy disclosed changes consistent with viral myositis. Immunologic evaluation revealed low serum levels of polyclonal IgG subtypes 1 and 3, reduced blood levels of T-helper/inducer and T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells, and a complement abnormality involving the function of the classical pathway C3 convertase, C4b2a. Therapy with intravenous immunoglobulin was associated with clinical recovery. This is the first reported case of disseminated central nervous system enteroviral infection in an adult with a B-cell malignancy, and in association with a documented complement abnormality. The findings suggest the efficacy of immunotherapy in this disease.

Complement Activation↗
PubMed1988

Isolation of beta-hemolytic streptococci from the respiratory tract: distribution and clinical significance.

Isolates of beta-hemolytic streptococci obtained from respiratory tract specimens were studied for determination of their serogroup, and Patients' charts were reviewed for the clinical significance of these respiratory isolates. Fifteen of 69 patients were considered to have definite respiratory infection. Thirteen of these 15 patients had Group B beta-hemolytic streptococci. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated concomitantly with Group B streptococci (GBS) in 34% of cases, but rarely was it isolated with other beta-hemolytic streptococci. Sero-groups of beta-hemolytic streptococci were compared with respect to the patient's underlying disease, age, and clinical outcome. Patients who had GBS isolated from sputum were elderly (mean age, 68.1 years) and were older than patients with other beta-hemolytic isolates (mean age, 56 years). Patients with Group B streptococci were more likely to have cerebrovascular disease, whereas patients with Group C, G, and F were more likely to have malignancy, particularly of the head and neck.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Susceptibility of dysgonic fermenter 2 to antimicrobial agents in vitro.

Dysgonic fermenter 2 (DF-2) is a fastidious, gram-negative organism well recognized as a cause of fulminant septicemia in patients without spleens or patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. In vitro antibiotic susceptibility testing of eight strains with a Schaedler broth dilution technique revealed DF-2 to be susceptible to all of the antibiotics tested except aztreonam. Previous reports that DF-2 is aminoglycoside resistant were based on disk diffusion or agar dilution assays that may be less reliable given the slow growth of the organism and its requirement for CO2 incubation. Penicillin is commonly used as prophylaxis after dog bites and has excellent activity against DF-2.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1988

Kluyvera species soft tissue infection: case report and review.

A soft tissue infection caused by Kluyvera species in a previously healthy woman is described. Successful treatment required incision and drainage of the wound in addition to administration of antibiotics. Kluyvera species are indole positive, Voges-Proskauer negative members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Previous reports of infection due to Kluyvera species suggest that the organism is never more than an opportunistic pathogen; however, we report the first case of infection in a previously healthy host.

Accidents, Home↗
PubMed1988

LY146032 in a hamster model of Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia--effect on in vivo clearance and mortality and in vitro opsonophagocytic killing.

The effect of the new peptolide LY146032 (LY) was studied in a hamster model of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia. In vivo, after infection with one of two well-encapsulated strains of MRSA, A83 and A116 (type 8 and type 5), LY was protective only in A116 pneumonia. An in vitro assay of the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of LY on opsonophagocytic killing by pulmonary phagocytes demonstrated marked enhancement of killing of A116 (92.6 and 63.8% kill with 1/10 MIC and 1/50 MIC LY; no kill in the absence of LY). This effect was dependent on the presence of fresh serum. LY in subinhibitory concentrations produces a surface effect that may allow complement binding and activation and subsequent phagocytosis and killing to take place. The opsonizing effect of subinhibitory concentrations of LY was not demonstrable for the A83 strain. Differences in capsular types may be determinants of response to therapy of MRSA infections.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Diagnosis of pulmonary strongyloidiasis by bronchoalveolar lavage.

Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed on a patient with disseminated strongyloidiasis and 4.5 X 10(7) cells/65 ml of lavage fluid were recovered. Eighty-five percent of cells were polymorphonuclear leukocytes; 15 percent were pulmonary alveolar macrophages. Rhabditiform larvae (1 X 10(4)) were recovered in 65 ml of lavage fluid. This is the first report of bronchoalveolar lavage used in diagnosing disseminated strongyloidiasis.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed1988

Characterization of bronchoalveolar lavage cells and macrophage-derived chemoattractant activity in pancreatic elastase-induced emphysema in hamsters.

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 30 days after endotracheal saline (C) or pancreatic elastase (E) administration to hamsters. E animals had twice as many cells as C animals (7.04 +/- 0.07 vs. 6.69 +/- 0.05 log10 cells, p less than 0.0001, paired t-test) and greater numbers of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) (6.61 +/- 0.05 vs. 5.27 +/- 0.04 log10 cells/animal, p less than 0.0001, t-test). On flow cytometric analysis and cell sorting, BAL cells from C animals showed a homogeneous population of cells with high light scatter and laser-excited intrinsic autofluorescence that were predominantly (greater than 99%) pulmonary alveolar macrophages (PAM). BAL cells from E animals had 80% PAM with characteristics similar to those of C animals; the remaining 20% of cells were smaller with lower forward and 90 degrees light scatter and four- to fivefold lower autofluorescence. These were found to be predominantly PMN on cytological examination of a sorted fraction. Fc receptors were expressed by greater than 95% of BAL cells from both C and E animals. To explain the altered cell population in E animals, PAM from both E and C animals were cultured in vitro, and the supernatants were assayed for neutrophil chemoattractant activity (NCA). In vitro PAM from E animals produced greater NCA than control PAM after 48 h in culture when stimulated with aggregated immunoglobulin or serum activates zymosan (p less than or equal to 0.003, ANOVA). Analyses of BAL supernatants 24 h after elastase administration indicated the presence of a heat-stable chemoattractant for PMN; such chemotactic activity, however, was not detectable 1 week or 4 weeks after the administration of elastase.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia in hamsters with elastase-induced emphysema--the virulence enhancing activity of mucin.

Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia was studied in hamsters with elastase-induced emphysema and in saline-treated controls. Emphysematous animals cleared endotracheally administered inocula of S. aureus in saline as rapidly as controls. After infection with S. aureus in 1% mucin, emphysematous animals had impaired clearance compared with controls; after infection with S. aureus in 5% mucin, emphysematous animals had decreased survival at 96 hr compared to controls (6/24 vs 15/24, P less than 0.01 Fisher's exact test). Bronchoalveolar lavage of uninfected elastase-treated hamsters yielded twice as many cells per animal as uninfected controls (P less than 0.0001, paired t test), and the cells contained a higher percentage of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (37.8% vs 3.8%, P less than 0.0001). Lavage cells from both groups of animals were equally efficient per cell at killing opsonized S. aureus in an in vitro bactericidal assay. Hamsters with elastase-induced emphysema were resistant to infection with S. aureus alone despite marked structural abnormalities in the lung, possibly due in part to increased numbers of resident phagocytic cells. After infection with S. aureus in mucin as a virulence enhancing factor emphysematous animals had impaired clearance and decreased survival compared to controls.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Parasitic pneumonia.

With few exceptions, the parasitic pneumonias most commonly encountered in the Western Hemisphere are diseases of compromised hosts; patients with AIDS are at particular risk. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia occurs eventually in 80% of AIDS patients; bronchoalveolar lavage is quite sensitive in establishing this diagnosis. Toxoplasma gondii pneumonia, seen most often in the patient with AIDS, is characterized by multisystem involvement. Strongyloides stercoralis infection is endemic in the Southeastern United States. Pulmonary strongyloidiasis is seen in patients receiving glucocorticoids or chemotherapy, and in patients with AIDS or other causes of T cell dysfunction. Larvae may be seen on Gram's stains or wet mounts of sputum. Ascaris and hookworm infections may present with pulmonary infiltrates and eosinophilia during the larval migration phase. Dirofilaria, Paragonimus, and Entamoeba histolytica involvement of the lung are less common and require a good epidemiologic history and clinical suspicion for diagnosis.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1988

Synchronous bacterial and fungal septicemia. A marker for the critically ill surgical patient.

Mixed septicemia (synchronous fungal and bacterial septicemia) is an occasional, but often fatal occurrence in the critically ill patient. We reviewed 14 such cases at two hospitals. Twelve of 14 patients were in the surgical intensive care unit. Eleven patients had an average of 2.7 major surgical procedures (range 2 to 4); persistent post-operative peritoneal sepsis was common occurring in 9 patients. Bacteremia preceded mixed septicemia in 8 of 14 cases and gram negative enteric bacilli were the most common causes of bacteremia. Fungemia was due to Candida species in 13 of 14 patients and followed prolonged antibiotic therapy. The diagnosis of disseminated candidiasis was suspected during life in 13 patients and proven in six. Mixed septicemia is a marker for a distinct population of critically ill surgical patients with a high overall mortality (78% in this study). Culture of both a fungal and bacterial pathogen in a blood culture, especially if preceded by bacteremia, should alert the physician to strongly suspect disseminated fungal infection and to commence appropriate treatment. Mortality is likely to remain high unless the underlying disease states can be rapidly corrected and infection controlled.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

AIDS-Phobia.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1987

Clinical and epidemiologic features of strongyloidiasis. A prospective study in rural Tennessee.

Hospitalized and domiciliary patients were studied to determine the incidence of the endemic nematode Strongyloides stercoralls in stool samples. Strongyloides was found in 14 (6.1%) of 229 hospitalized patients and in nine (2.6%) of 346 domiciliary patients. Clinical symptoms, laboratory data, and underlying diseases were compared for stool-positive and stool-negative patients. Infected patients were more likely to complain of abdominal bloating. They had a higher incidence of eosinophilia and guaiac-positive stools. They were more likely to have been treated with corticosteroids, cimetidine, and antacids. Efficacy of treatment with thiabendazole was studied in all stool-positive patients; a relapse rate of 15% was noted with standard thiabendazole therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Courvoisier's law.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Common Bile Duct Diseases↗