[Intermittent icterus as the only symptom in beta-thalassemia minor].
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to H Friis.
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An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for determining the toxigenicity of Corynebacterium diphtheriae is presented. The assay uses hyperimmune horse diphtheria antitoxin as a capture antibody and mouse monoclonal diphtheria antitoxin as a detecting antibody. Growth of bacteria and capture of diphtheria toxin by antitoxin are carried out in one step. Toxin produced by as little as 100 toxin-producing corynebacteria is detectable, corresponding to a sensitivity of 10 ng of diphtheria toxin per ml. Demonstration of toxin after incubation of the bacteria for 4.75 h, as well as after 18 h, was in accordance with the modified Elek gel diffusion method and the guinea pig inoculation test. However, heavy inocula incubated overnight produced significantly lower optical density than did diluted inocula; thus, the higher optical density was used as an indicator of toxin production. A decrease in optical density was also seen by shortening the incubation time. For laboratory safety, ethanol was added to the microtiter plate wells before washing out of the bacteria. This resulted in a further decrease in optical density. Using 4.75-h incubation time gave a single false-negative result. No false-positive results were ever seen. Incubation for 18 h is suitable for large-scale screening, and 4.75 h of incubation is suitable for rapid identification of toxin-producing C. diphtheriae.
Out of 457 patients amputated below or above the knee, we randomized 288 to receive penicillin G and 229 cefuroxime as prophylaxis against infection. We also stratified the patients into two groups: Group A (313 patients) who did not receive antibiotic treatment within 48 hours prior to the operation and Group B (88 patients) who did. There were 56 dropouts according to protocol regulations. The patients were evaluated for efficacy on the 21st postoperative day. In Group A, 20 of 158 (13 per cent) penicillin G-treated and 27 of 155 (17 per cent) cefuroxime-treated had wound sepsis; 5 (3 per cent) penicillin G-treated and 4 (3 per cent) cefuroxime-treated patients had been reamputated by Day 21 (P greater than 0.05). We concluded that prophylactic penicillin G prevents infection as effectively as cefuroxime after lower limb amputation.
Recent surveys in Ngamiland, Botswana, indicate increasing prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infections. With the introduction of a schistosomiasis control programme, 354 of 373 schoolchildren were examined quantitatively for eggs of S. mansoni, and 317 were examined clinically for hepato- and splenomegaly. 80.5% of the children examined parasitologically were found infected. Among these the arithmetric mean egg output was 744.7 and the geometric mean 307.3 eggs per gram of faeces (epg), 46.0% were excreting more than 400 epg. 23 children were found to have an enlarged liver, whereas none was found with enlarged spleen. 21 of these had schistosomiasis. The prevalence of hepatomegaly was highest among those excreting above 1600 epg. Also the mean size of the enlarged livers increased with intensity of infection.
In this study, 44 episodes of septicaemia occurred in 32 children over a 5 1/2 year period. The mean number of hospitalised children with malignant diseases was 88 a year. During the study period, there were a total of 1,818 admissions. The mean age was 7 years (2 months to 16 years) with a male predilection (66%). The majority of septicaemias occurred in children with leukaemia (52%), but their mortality was lower than in children with malignant lymphoma. No children with solid tumours died in connection with septicaemia. All deaths in connection with septicaemia occurred in children with less than 0.5 X 10(9) granulocytes per litre, and none of these children were in remission. Twelve different bacterial species were isolated with Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative staphylococci, and Escherichia coli, accounting for 75% of these episodes. The mortality was 14%, most often (67%) in connection with septicaemia caused by Gram-negative organisms. It is emphasised that the type of infecting microorganisms and the outcome of the infections must be recorded regularly and the antibiotic regimen adjusted accordingly.
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Sixty-six febrile episodes associated with leukopenia were observed in 56 patients with solid tumors, WBC less than 1.5 X 10(9)/l and temperature greater than or equal to 38.5 degrees C. Stratification to antibiotic treatment regimen was made with regard to prior cis-dichlorodiamineplatinum (cis-platinum) treatment or not. Patients who had received no cis-platinum were randomized between carbenicillin 10 g every 8 h plus gentamicin 80 mg every 8 h or latamoxef 2 g every 8 h (group I). Patients having received cis-platinum were treated with carbenicillin 10 g every 8 h plus mecillinam 800 mg every 8 h or latamoxef 2 g every 8 h (group II). The first dose of latamoxef was preceded by 10 mg of vitamin K i.v. In group I, clinical response was observed in 10 of 19 febrile episodes (52.6%) treated with carbenicillin plus gentamicin and in 10 of 14 (71.4%) treated with latamoxef (p greater than 0.05). In group II, 6 of 14 febrile episodes treated with carbenicillin plus mecillinam responded (42.9%) while 11 of 19 (57.9%) responded to latamoxef (p greater than 0.05). No bleeding due to antibiotic treatment was observed. No statistical difference between standard antibiotic therapy and latamoxef was seen in this subset of patients.
The antibacterial activity of cefotetan, 8 other beta-lactam antibiotics and gentamicin, was tested in vitro on 288 recently isolated bacteria. The activity of cefotetan was generally higher than the 2.generation cephalosporin cefuroxime and lower than the 3.generation cephalosporins tested. In addition, cefotetan was shown to have some antibacterial activity against anaerobic bacteria. Cefotetan is a cephamycin and was found resistant to all 14 plasmid-mediated and 2 chromosomally-mediated beta-lactamases. With its beta-lactamase resistance and antibacterial activity, cefotetan seems to be a "second-generation-like" cephalosporin, almost with 3.generation cephalosporin antibacterial activity against Enterobacteriaceae.
The antibacterial activity of aztreonam, 9 other beta-lactam antibiotics and gentamicin was tested in vitro on 383 recently isolated bacteria. The activity of aztreonam against the gram-negative bacteria is similar to the activity of the 3rd generation cephalosporins and gentamicin. With regard to beta-lactamase stability only PSE-2 out of 14 plasmid mediated beta-lactamases and K-1 out of 2 chromosomally mediated beta-lactamases could hydrolyze aztreonam. With its beta-lactamase stability, high antibacterial activity and narrow-spectrum aztreonam seems to be a valuable addition to the antibiotic arsenal.
Cefotaxime at a dosage of 3 gm intravenously every eight hours was administered to 80 patients with hematological malignancies and suspected septicemia. Blood samples for culturing were taken before and during antibiotic therapy. Nineteen patients had verified bacteremia and ten of them responded completely to cefotaxime. Twelve of the 19 patients had granulocyte counts of less than 0.5 X 10(9)/L. Minimal inhibitory concentrations of cefotaxime, ceftazidime, moxalactam, cefsulodin, cefoxitin, cefuroxime, and cefamandole against the pathogens were measured: cefotaxime was the best cephalosporin against gram-negative isolates and was found acceptable against gram-positive bacteria. In 61 patients no bacteremia could be demonstrated, but specific pathogens were isolated in 11 patients: from the urine in five, from the sputum in five, and from a perianal abscess in one. Complete response was obtained with cefotaxime in seven of these 11 patients. Monotherapy with cefotaxime in septicemic patients with hematological malignancies appears to be a valuable alternative to other antibiotic regimens.
To reassess the schistosomiasis problem in Ngamiland and especially in Maun area 552 primary school children and 213 adult labourers were examined with urinalysis and rectal snip. Of the pupils 80.3% were found positive for S. mansoni and 1.4% for S. haematobium; of the labourers 35.7% were infected with S. mansoni and 0.5% with S. haematobium. There was no difference between the sexes; prevalence decreased by age. In Seronga village 102 pupils were examined; 69.6% were positive for S. mansoni. The decrease in prevalence in the higher age groups may be explained by recent introduction of the agent in the area.
The in vitro antibacterial activity of aztreonam (SQ 26776), a new beta-lactam antibiotic, was measured by the agar dilution technique. Aztreonam is known to have a narrow spectrum with activity only against Gram negative bacteria. The strains tested were 223 clinical isolates from blood cultures obtained at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. Its activity against E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Proteus spp., Enterobacter spp., Citrobacter, Salmonella typhimurium and Serratia marcescens was satisfactory with MIC values normally below 0.5 mg/l. However, six out of 135 strains of E. coli showed surprisingly high MIC values of eight and 16 mg/l. The activity against Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. were limited, but the majority were inhibited by concentrations of aztreonam between 2.0 and 8.0 mg/l. The MIC values for the tested anaeobic bacteria were high, ranging from 8.0 to above 512 mg/l. With its narrow spectrum of activity, aztreonam seems to be a valuable addition to the antibiotic arsenal. Clinical studies will determine its real value.