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Biomedical subjects

I Calicó

Publications and source records attributed to I Calicó.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

[Microorganisms isolated in cases of pertussis-like syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To describe the etiologic study of the pertussis-like syndrome, not only as far as Bordetella genus is concerned but also regarding the causative role of other microorganisms for a 11-year period (1988-1998). METHODS: In all specimens from patients suffering from pertussis-like cough the presence of Bordetella spp., other bacteria, viruses, and mycoplasma was investigated. The analysed data included microbiological findings and epidemiologic issues (age, sex, hospital admission area, yearly distribution and seasonal period). RESULTS: A total of 1,063 specimens were investigated, most of them nasopharyngeal aspirates (910), corresponding to 905 patients; a positive culture was obtained form 56.9 of these patients. B. pertussis was isolated from 10.5% of patients. As for other bacteria, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae were also isolated, in 16.9% and 15.8% of occasions, respectively. The respiratory syncitial virus was isolated from 10.7% of patients and other viruses in 9.4%. Among mycoplasma, Ureaplasma urealyticum predominated, with a recovery rate of 2.9%. The male/female ratio was 495/410; the ages of 67.2% of patients ranged from 0 to 6 months; a total of 689 (76.1%) required hospital admission. The recovery of B. pertussis and adenoviruses predominated during spring and summer months. In contrast, H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae and respiratory syncitial virus were recovered more frequently during winter months. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients with pertussis-like syndrome are children aged less than 6 months. The recovery percentages of B. pertussis and respiratory syncitial virus are identical and therefore we think that the investigation of their presence in this syndrome is fully warranted as well as the search for other microorganisms, since clinical symptoms are commonly non-specific among infants.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed1998

Cytomegalovirus disease as a risk factor for graft loss and death after orthotopic liver transplantation.

To determine whether cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is an independent risk factor for graft loss and death after orthotopic liver transplantation, we performed a 3-year follow-up study of 143 consecutive liver transplant recipients and six patients who underwent retransplantation. Thirty-seven patients (25%) had had CMV disease and were alive after treatment. Fifty-two deaths and eight graft losses occurred. The cumulative incidence of graft failure at 1 and 3 years of follow-up were 40% and 63%, respectively, for patients with CMV disease, compared with 22% and 33%, respectively, for those without CMV disease (P < .05, logrank test). Cumulative probabilities of survival for patients with and without CMV disease were 64% and 82%, respectively, at 1 year and 46% and 69%, respectively, after 3 years (P < .05, logrank test). Multivariate analysis with use of a time-dependent Cox model showed that previous CMV disease was an independent risk factor for graft loss at 1 and 3 years of follow-up (P = .04 and P = .007) and for patient survival (P = .04 and P = .01). Our results indicate that CMV disease is a significant independent risk factor for graft loss and patient survival after liver transplantation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Two grams daily of oral acyclovir reduces the incidence of cytomegalovirus disease in CMV-seropositive liver transplant recipients.

Our objective in this study was to determine the efficacy of 2 grams a day of oral acyclovir administered for 16 weeks after transplantation for the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease in CMV-seropositive liver transplant recipients. Seventy-three adult liver transplant recipients, seropositive for CMV, were randomized to receive either 2 grams a day of oral acyclovir for 16 weeks after transplantation or no prophylaxis. The incidence of CMV disease was significantly lower in the acyclovir group (5%) than in the control group (27%; P < 0.05). By log-rank analysis, the differences in the probability of presenting CMV disease over the first 16 weeks and over the 1st year were also significant (P < 0.05). We conclude that 2 grams a day of oral acyclovir provides effective prophylaxis against CMV disease in CMV-seropositive liver transplant recipients.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1996

A simplified technique for determining the sensitivity of cytomegalovirus strains to ganciclovir.

A technique for determining the susceptibility to ganciclovir of cytomegalovirus (CMV) strains isolated in clinical samples is described. The inoculum was composed of a partially infected suspension of cells from a young positive culture (< 10 days), usually the first passage of the primary culture. The appropriate dilution of the cell suspension to provide a suitable inoculum was based on a previous study of five strains grown in different dilutions which provided a countable number of plaques and avoided titration of each of the isolated strains. Fifty-three strains were studied at three different dilutions. Five from patients on maintenance ganciclovir therapy with poor clinical response had a 50% inhibitory dose (ID50) between 21.46 and 13.35 microM and the remainder an ID50 between 2.31 and 10.5 microM, comparable to results obtained by other authors using susceptibility techniques with a sonicated inoculum. Three of these strains were studied by both methods using sonicated inoculum and cell suspension inoculum. The mean time which elapsed between seeding the specimen and obtaining sensitivity was 39.00 and 27.66 days, respectively. The technique reduces significantly the time involved since relatively young cultures can be studied and previous titration is not required.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1994

[Incidence and etiology of viremia in 2,619 patients].

BACKGROUND: Virus investigation, specially cytomegalovirus (CMV), in blood has increased such that the capacity of hospitalary laboratories is threatened with collapse. The causal agents of viremia are analyzed being correlated with the clinical symptoms and underlying disease to establish the selection criteria of patients for virologic study. METHODS: Two thousand six hundred nineteen patients suspected of having viral infection, fundamentally by CMV were studied over 6 years by 4,394 blood samples. Of these patients 1,646 were immunosuppressed, 824 were considered immunocompetent and this data was unknown in 149 patients. The leukocytes were separated using standardized techniques being seeded in cell cultures (human embryo lung fibroblasts). RESULTS: Three hundred forty-seven specimens corresponding to 242 patients were positive with isolation of the following pathogens: 327 strains of CMV, 4 enterovirus, 2 adenovirus, 1 herpes simplex virus, 1 varicella-zoster, another 5 unidentified cytopathic agents, 6 strains of toxoplasma and 1 Cryptococcus. With regard to the base disease, 302 positive samples to CMV pertained to 204 immunosuppressed patients: 103 (13.6% positives among the cases studied) AIDS or AIDS-related complex, 54 (21.3%) kidney transplant patients, 31 (24.8%) liver transplant patients, 2 (1.5%) lung transplant patients, and 2 (1.5%) bone marrow transplant patients. A non CMV microorganism was isolated in 13 samples from 12 immunosuppressed patients. Only 24 (2.5% of those studied) immunocompetent or with unknown immunity status had viremia by CMV, being detected in 25 samples. Non CMV cytopathic agents were isolated in another 7 samples from 6 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of blood cultures allows the isolation of cytomegalovirus and occasionally other unsuspected agents such as toxoplasma. This investigation is indicated in immunosuppressed patients but not in immunocompetent patients who present a febrile syndrome with no clinical suspicion of cytomegalovirus infection.

Adult↗