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Biomedical subjects

B Hovig

Publications and source records attributed to B Hovig.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Direct detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in clinical samples from patients in Norway by ligase chain reaction.

Our aim was to investigate the use of DNA amplification with the ligase chain reaction (LCR) for detection of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex directly in human clinical specimens. The LCR assay employed was the Abbott LCx MTB Assay, which uses the gene encoding protein antigen b as the target template. Four hundred eighty-two samples from 457 patients in one clinical microbiology laboratory in Norway were processed by routine culture analysis (BACTEC culture), direct microscopy (Ziehl-Neelsen staining) and LCR. Of the 118 specimens containing cultivable M. tuberculosis, 106 (90.6%) were detected by LCR. Among the 364 culture-negative specimens, 356 samples were negative also by LCR and 8 (1.6%) were positive by LCR. In five of the eight LCR-positive and culture-negative samples, another sample from the same patient was M. tuberculosis culture positive and/or the patient had symptoms of tuberculosis. In comparison with culture, the sensitivity of LCR was 96.7% for smear-positive samples and 72.0% for smear-negative samples, respectively. For all samples combined, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were 90.2, 99.2, 97.4, and 96.7%, respectively. Challenging the M. tuberculosis LCR test with DNAs and cultures from strains of Mycobacterium ulcerans and Mycobacterium marinum, which are the mycobacterial species most closely related to the M. tuberculosis complex, resulted in all-negative test results. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of BACTEC culture in comparison with the LCR test and clinical criteria were 95.9, 100, 100, and 98.6%, respectively. A certain prioritization of samples subjected to the LCR assay should be based on clinical indications and risks with regard to infection transmission and patient isolation policy. More automation and lower expenses are generally desired for nucleic acid amplification kits. However, this M. tuberculosis LCR assay represents a valuable tool in routine mycobacterial diagnostics.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1993

[Lupus vulgaris. Cutaneous tuberculosis in a Vietnamese refugee].

Since 1990 there has been a slight increase in the number of cases of tuberculosis in Norway. Tuberculosis can affect the skin with or without apparent involvement of internal organs. A case of lupus vulgaris in a 13 year-old male Vietnamese refugee is described. The Pirquet test was strongly positive. However, no involvement of lungs or other internal organs was found. Clinical remission was achieved using isoniazide and rifampicin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Women in medical academies].

In 1993 we are celebrating the 100 years that has elapsed since the first woman graduated in medicine in Norway. The status of women in Academia today is analysed. The percentages of women in the medical community are compared with the number of women doctorates and of women in academic positions in the medical departments at Norway's four universities. The number of women in the higher ranks seems to have come to a standstill. There are only 6.6% women among the full-time professors of medicine. Efforts to improve the position of women by means of a gender quota in the appointment process are discussed.

Academic Medical Centers↗
PubMed1993

[Aquarium-borne Mycobacterium marinum infection].

Three cases of cutaneous Mycobacterium marinum infection are described. All these patients had most probably been infected from home aquariums. In one of the patients, M. marinum was isolated by culturing a biopsy specimen from a lesion. Clinical remission was achieved by means of antituberculous triple therapy, trimethoprim-sulfonamide, and no treatment, respectively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Urinary tract infections. Recommendations with special emphasis on family practice].

Clinical diagnosis can often indicate whether the patient has an infection of the lower or the upper urinary tract. The symptoms may be misleading, however. Examination of the urine is therefore essential. Recommendations are made for sampling, microscopy, stix-tests and interpretation of cultures. Species distribution and sensitivity patterns are presented. There has been a trend towards increasing antimicrobial resistance during the period 1982 to 1990. The recommended drugs for uncomplicated infections of the lower urinary tract in women include nitrofurantoin, amoxicillin, pivampicillin, pivmecillinam, sulfamethizole, trimethoprim and co-trimoxazole, with a possible preference for trimethoprim and nitrofurantoin (should be used with caution in elderly patients). Duration of therapy is normally three days. In pregnant women and in men with an infection of the lower urinary tract the duration of treatment should be 7-10 days. Specific drugs are recommended for these groups of patients. Drugs recommended for infection of the upper urinary tract and complicated infections of the lower urinary tract include amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin/ofloxacin, co-trimoxazole, pivampicillin and pivmecillinam. Duration of treatment should be 7-10 days. Treatment is also recommended for reinfection, for children, for patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria and for patients with permanent bladder catheters. Long-term prophylaxis and general advice on lifestyle are also discussed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1992

[Antibiotic prevention of bacterial endocarditis].

Bacterial endocarditis is a serious condition with high lethality. The authors review the etiology of the disease and conditions and procedures associated with increased risk, and give recommendations on choice and dosage of effective antibiotics. Most cases of endocarditis are caused by gram-positive cocci of the genera Streptococcus, Enterococcus or Staphylococcus. The number of cases caused by staphylococci has increased in recent decades. Risk of acquiring endocarditis is higher, for example, in patients with prosthetic cardiac valves and in patients with a previous history of endocarditis. Interventions associated with increased risk include various procedures in the mouth, throat and upper airways, since this is where the bacteria most often causing endocarditis are to be found. A single oral dose of amoxycillin is recommended for standard prophylaxis, and ampicillin in combination with an aminoglycoside for parenteral use. In cases of penicillin allergy, a single oral dose of clindamycin is recommended in patients at risk of bacteriemia from the respiratory tract, with trimetoprim as an alternative for genito-urinary and gastrointestinal procedures. Vancomycin or vancomycin plus aminoglycoside is recommended as a parenteral regimen in cases of penicillin allergy.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1985

Antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen among employees in the National Hospital, Oslo, Norway: a prevalence study.

During the last decade, several studies of serologic markers of hepatitis B virus infections in hospital personnel have demonstrated an increased prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis B virus (anti-HB) compared with the general population. Norway has a very low incidence rate of hepatitis B as seen on a global scale, and this study was performed to evaluate the infection risk by hospital workers in such environments. The employees, 2,546 (94.7% of the population), in the 800-bed National Hospital in Oslo were tested for antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBs) in serum. Five per cent (128 persons) were anti-HBs-positive; this was only slightly higher than that in the general Norwegian population. Male employees were more often positive than females (7.0% vs. 4.4%). Staff more than 50 years of age or with 16 or more years of employment in the health services had a rate twice as high as the rest of the employees. Staff in the porter services (mostly men) had a higher rate than others, whereas the rates in the different professional groups showed no statistical differences. Contrary to many other studies, significant differences in prevalence according to frequency of patient contact or blood handling were not found.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

A prevalence survey of infections among hospitalized patients in Norway.

The prevalence rates of infections among hospitalized patients in 15 Norwegian hospitals on 28 November 1979 is reported. A total of 7833 patients were included in the study, representing approximately 35 per cent of patients in somatic hospitals in Norway on that day. The prevalence rate of all infections was 17 per cent and for hospital infections 9 per cent. Hospital infections were most frequent in haematology and intensive care departments (23 and 22 per cent respectively) while the lowest rates were found in ophtalmology and psychiatry (2 per cent). Urinary tract infections played a major role both overall (33.5 per cent) and in hospital infections (41.9 per cent). In community acquired infections alone lower respiratory tract infections were slightly more common than urinary tract infections (26.6 per cent of infections versus 24.1 per cent). The study also comprises data on frequency of bacteriological examination in infected patients and on usage of indwelling urinary catheters in patients with urinary tract infections. The rates are compared to studies in other countries. We found the prevalence survey method to be an acceptable way of assessing infection rates among hospitalized patients in Norway. The greatest benefit of the survey is believed to be the ability to increase the awareness of infection problems in hospitals among health personnel.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1979

Sensitivity patterns of bacteria and antibiotic usage at the National Hospital of Norway in 1976 and 1978.

During the first three months of 1976 and 1978 the sensitivity patterns of bacteria and the antibiotic usage at the National Hospital of Norway was recorded. The computerized results showed that bacteria isolated at the department of pediatrics was more resistant to penicillins. Isolates from two other departments did not differ very much in their sensitivity patterns. Comparing the sensitivity patterns, a tendency of increased sensitivity to antibiotics from 1976 to 1978 was seen. Exception was the increasing resistance to gentamicin. Furthermore, tobramycin was found less effective than gentamicin on our isolates. The antibiotics most widely used at the hospital are the penicillins which account for more than 50 per cent of the usage. From 1976 to 1978 the usage of antibiotics increased about 30 per cent. A more extensive use of penicillin V and G, and sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim was responsible for most of the increase. No clear cut relationship between the antibiotic usage and the changes in sensitivity patterns of the bacteria from 1976 to 1978 was seen. Our work confirms, the usefulness of using "daily defined doses", as recommended by WHO, for estimating the antibiotic usage in a hospital.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1976

A computer system for handling data from bacterial sensitivity testing.

A computer system for handling data collected from antibiotic sensitivity testing of clinical bacterial isolates is described. The system allows a rapid handling of the information collected, supplying the ward and laboratory with cummulative data on each patient. The bacteriologist and the clinician are thus suitably armed when creating a rational antibiotic therapy.

Computers↗