Vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis with FSME-Immun vaccine was started in the Department of Infectious Diseases, University Medical School of Białystok, Poland, in 1992. No serious adverse reactions after vaccine administration were observed. Post-vaccine side effects were reported in 242 (11.3%) persons after the first dose (n = 2,135) and only in 14 patients (1.2%) after the second one (n = 1,183). These effects were mild and transitory. No relationship was observed between the frequency of adverse reactions, general or local, and the initial anti-TBE virus antibody titres or the age of the immunized individuals. Post-vaccine side effects were reported significantly more frequently among people not bitten by ticks.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mucosal and plasma prostaglandin E2 in ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Despite extensive studies, the role of prostaglandins in the course of inflammatory bowel diseases and their possible usefulness as predictive indicators of inflammation, remain largely speculative. The aim of this study was to determine whether mucosal and plasma concentrations of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are affected by the clinical course and degree of colonic injury in patients with ulcerative colitis. METHODOLOGY: PGE2 concentration was measured with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in biopsies of rectal mucosa and in the plasma of 38 patients with ulcerative colitis and 12 controls. Patients were divided into groups according to mild or severe clinical course of the disease, and with respect to scored endoscopical picture. RESULTS: Ulcerative colitis resulted in an increase of mucosal and plasma concentrations of PGE2, that was significantly elevated in patients with a severe clinical course of the disease. These concentrations increased depending on degree of mucosal injury. A significant, positive correlation with endoscopical score regarding plasma and mucosal PGE2 concentration, as well as between them, was found. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma and mucosal PGE2 rise simultaneously with degree of colonic injury. Because of a good correlation with mucosal injury and PGE2 content, measurement of plasma PGE2 could be considered as a possible surrogate marker of bowel inflammation.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Activation of blood platelets in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis P-selectin expression on blood platelets and secretory activity of beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor-4.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Blood platelets are cells that quite often undergo damage in chronic liver diseases. Endotoxemia and hyperkinetic circulation influence platelets in an active manner. The role of platelets in the development of hepatitis and liver fibrosis is speculative. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of chronic liver diseases on platelets morphologic parameters, their secretory activity and P-selectin expression. METHODOLOGY: The examination was completed in the group of 29 patients with chronic hepatitis and 27 with liver cirrhosis of postinflammatory etiology (HBV, HCV). Liver biopsies were carried out in all patients. Thirty-two healthy individuals were the control group. Platelets morphological parameters (number, volume, platelet crit, micro- and macrothrombocyte fraction) were estimated. beta-thromboglobulin concentration and platelet factor 4 in blood serum as well as P-selectin expression on resting platelets and after thrombin activation were also examined. RESULTS: Number, volume, and platelet crit decreased with the advancement of a liver disease. Megathrombocyte fraction increased inversely with the severity of liver damage. The concentration of beta-thromboglobulin and platelet factor 4 alpha-granule contents in blood serum was higher 2- and 7-times, respectively than in healthy controls. P-selectin expression on resting platelets was considerably higher. After stimulation with thrombin, P-selectin expression was equal (chronic hepatitis) or higher (liver cirrhosis) than in the control. CONCLUSIONS: There are changes of platelet morphological parameters, with accompanying megathrombocyte fraction increase that occur in chronic liver diseases. Thrombocytes in chronic liver diseases and liver cirrhosis are more activated. Platelet sensitivity to stimuli in these ailments is higher (liver cirrhosis) than in the healthy controls.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Rectal carcinoid].

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Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The incidence of HLA DRB1*0103 in ulcerative colitis patients in north-eastern Poland.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease is partially genetically determined and the HLA (human leukocyte antigen) alloantigens and genes located in the HLA region have been studied over the course of many years as the candidate genes responsible for ulcerative colitis. Improvements in molecular genotyping have allowed disease association with HLA to be narrowed down to specific subtypes. For class II antigens, increasing phenotype frequency of DRB1*0103, DRB1*1502 is observed and positive correlation to disease susceptibility is proposed. We investigated the incidence of HLA DRB1*0103 in ulcerative colitis patients in North-Eastern Poland and possible association with overall disease susceptibility and clinical course of the disease. METHODOLOGY: 41 patients and 45 healthy control blood donors were included in this study. All subjects were Polish. RESULTS: The incidence of HLA DRB1*0103 was low (2.44%), but was associated with fulminant course of the disease (pancolitis with megacolon toxicum). None of the ethnically matched healthy control blood donors possessed the HLA DRB1*0103 allele (0.00%). CONCLUSIONS: The results gained in the presented study confirm, that in the Polish population HLA DRB1*0103 allele is uncommon and it would not be a useful marker of disease susceptibility.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

MR and 1H MR spectroscopy of the brain in patients with liver cirrhosis and early stages of hepatic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatic encephalopathy is a serious problem in patients with liver cirrhosis and precise pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for encephalopathy are not fully understood. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy can be used to detect specific morphological and metabolic abnormalities in the brain even in patients with early stages of hepatic encephalopathy. METHODOLOGY: Twenty patients with liver cirrhosis and 14 patients with grade I-II hepatic encephalopathy were studied with magnetic resonance and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Localized magnetic resonance spectra were acquired in the parietal gray/white matter regions and basal ganglia. Control group consisted of 20 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: Frequency and degree of brain atrophy and bilateral signal hyperintensities in globus pallidus were similar in groups with liver cirrhosis and with encephalopathy. Decreased myoinositol, choline and increased glutamine levels were noted in both groups whereas N-acetylaspartate levels were unchanged. The statistically significant differences between cirrhotic and encephalopathic groups were observed only in myoinositol/creatine ratio in basal ganglia. There were no significant differences in metabolic concentrations between parietal and basal ganglia regions. CONCLUSIONS: Metabolic brain alterations occur earlier than clinical evidence of hepatic encephalopathy but there is no correlation between presence of symptoms encephalopathy and magnetic resonance and magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Analysis of morphological changes in fatal cases of trichinosis].

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Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Diversity in the clinical course of toxoplasma encephalitis in two patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)].

The central nervous system (CNS) is the most common site of Toxoplasma gondii infection in HIV-positive patients, mainly due to reactivation of Toxoplasma cysts. The diagnosis is difficult since no sensitive and specific non-invasive diagnostic tests exist. The patient may present with rather unspecific signs and symptoms. We present atypical course of CNS-toxoplasmosis in two HIV-positive persons.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗