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Biomedical subjects

J Begovac

Publications and source records attributed to J Begovac.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Short-term treatment of pertussis with azithromycin in infants and young children.

A prospective, open, noncomparative study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of azithromycin given once daily for 3 or 5 days to eradicate Bordetella pertussis from the upper respiratory tract of infants and young children. Seventeen children received azithromycin in a dose of 10 mg/kg on day 1 followed by 5 mg/kg once daily for four consecutive days, and 20 were given 10 mg/kg once daily for 3 days. Seven days after the initiation of therapy, 33 of 35 (94.3%) patients had negative cultures for Bordetella pertussis. On day 14, cultures from all 34 evaluable patients were negative. These findings suggest that a controlled, comparative study of erythromycin versus short-term administration of azithromycin is justified.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1999

Urinary tract infections in HIV disease.

HIV-positive patients are liable to acquire opportunistic infections. Their liability to acquire other common infectious conditions is less frequently reported. In order to determine the frequency of urinary tract infections (UTI) in HIV-positive patients, we performed a retrospective analysis. The control group was formed from patients with community acquired pneumonia. We reviewed charts of 96 HIV-positive patients and of 314 patients in the control study group. The analysis has shown that patients with HIV had a UTI more frequently than the controls. Besides the difference in the frequency, we observed the difference in the etiology. Enterococci were the most frequent isolates in patients with HIV disease, whereas Escherichia coli was most frequently isolated in the controls. These facts should be taken into consideration when treatment of a UTI with suspected bacteremia in AIDS patients is initiated.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1998

[Selection of phenotype characteristics in differentiation of various species of enterococci using an inductive mathematical program].

In this paper a novel computer example-based learning system (Inductive learning by logic minimization) was used to determine the sufficient set of biochemical reactions and necessary conditions that have to be fulfilled for the correct identification of enterococci isolated from human specimens. Several combinations for accurate identification of Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus feacium from other enterococci were found. The simplest combination set for E. faecalis identification consists of 3 reactions: growth in 0.04% K-tellurite, mannitol acidification, failure to acidify raffinose. The simplest set for E. faecium differentiation from other enterococcal species is performed by the following 3 reactions: failure to acidify D-xylose and Na-pyruvate, and acidification of L-arabinose. Only 4 tests are sufficient (acid from D-xylose, mannitol, L-arabinose and Na-pyruvate) for the correct identification of these two, the most frequently isolated species. If it is necessary to analyze all enterococcal species, then even three combinations of 9 tests for the correct differentiation of any of them, are available.

Artificial Intelligence↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of patients with infectious mononucleosis and human immunodeficiency virus infection: a preliminary report.

The aim of this study was to analyse the lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of HIV-1-infected adults to compare them with four patients with acute EBV infection. Lymphocyte subsets in 15 healthy controls, 40 HIV-1-infected adults and 4 EBV-infected patients with infectious mononucleosis were analysed by flow cytometry. The immunophenotyping of HIV-1-infected patients in different stages of disease showed a significant reduction in the percentage and absolute count of CD4+ T-lymphocytes, significantly increased percentage of CD8+ T-lymphocytes, inverted CD4/CD8 ratio and an increase in the expression of activation marker HLA-DR compared to controls. The immuno-phenotyping profiles of HIV and EBV infection share some similarities as they both result in the decreased percentage of CD4+ T-lymphocytes, increased CD8+ T-lymphocytes and an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio. Patients with HIV infection could be distinguished from patients with EBV infection by the absolute lymphocytosis and increased expression of HLA-DR seen in the patients with infectious mononucleosis. In conclusion, both HIV-1 and EBV profoundly change the distribution of lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood. It is our opinion that flow cytometry could be an aid in the rapid distinguishing of patients with suspected primary HIV-1 infection from those with infectious mononucleosis (before serology data are available).

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

[Cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection].

Cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) is a common opportunistic infection and a major cause of blindness in patients with AIDS. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency, clinical course and outcome of CMVR in patients treated at the University Hospital of Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević" in Zagreb in the period from January 1995 to April 1996. CMVR was diagnosed in 8 (27.5%) of 29 patients with AIDS. The median CD4 lymphocyte count in patients with CMVR was 44 per mm3, six patients had less than 50 per mm3. Five patients died during the study period, the mean survival being 5.5 months. CMVR was present in both eyes in 5 (62.5%) patients at the time of diagnosis. Blindness in both eyes developed in 3 (37.5%) patients. In order to recognize and promptly treat CMVR frequent ophthalmologic examinations should be performed in patients with advanced HIV disease.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1996

Comparison of clinical characteristics of group A streptococcal bacteremia in children and adults.

This report reviews 55 cases of bacteremia due to group A streptococci (GAS) in patients treated at the University Hospital of Infectious Diseases, in Zagreb, Croatia, during the period 1974-1994. Clinical findings for 27 children (age, < 18 years) were compared with those for 28 adults. A clear predominance of the respiratory tract as a primary focus of infection in younger patients was observed (P = .00006). Children were more frequently colonized by GAS in their throats than were adults (P = .04). Suppurative osteoarticular metastatic foci were more often found in children (P = .02). Acute underlying conditions were more common in children (P = .04), whereas chronic underlying conditions were more common in adults (P = .00005). The case fatality rate was 23% among children (6 of 27) and 50% among patients aged > 60 years (5 of 10). The course of bacteremia due to GAS was benign in eight children (29.6%) and 12 adults (42.8%). Our experience suggests that there are significant differences in the presentation of bacteremia due to GAS in children and adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Asymptomatic pharyngeal carriage of beta-haemolytic streptococci and streptococcal pharyngitis among patients at an urban hospital in Croatia.

In a one-year study at the University Hospital of Infectious Diseases in Zagreb, Croatia the rate of asymptomatic throat carriage of beta-haemolytic streptococci was investigated. Throat carriage was investigated in 1796 patients, none of whom had a sore throat nor signs and/or symptoms of a respiratory tract infection. The carrier rate of beta-haemolytic streptococci was 8.3%, for group A streptococci 6%, group B 1.3%, group C 0.3% and group F 0.1%. The highest rate was observed in the 6 to 14 year age group: 13.8% for all streptococcal groups, 11.7% for group A alone. The proportion of non-A streptococci was higher in older age groups. Tonsillectomised individuals were less frequently carriers. No sex or season-dependent variations were observed. In a four-month study of 629 patients with pharyngitis the throat cultures yielded: group A streptococci in 44.7%, group B in 1.7%, group C in 0.8%, and group G in 0.6% of the patients. Group A streptococci in 44.7%, group B in 1.7%, group C in 0.8%, and group G in 0.6% of the patients. Group A streptococcal rates in carriers compared to rates in patients with pharyngitis suggest that approximately one fourth of the schoolchildren with culture-positive pharyngitis actually are not truly infected, but only carriers currently having a sore throat of non-streptococcal etiology. Antibiotics were administrated to 605 (96.2%) patients with pharyngitis; in 571 (94.4%) of the cases before culture results became available. After culture-negative results were obtained the therapy was discontinued in only 28.5% of the cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Production of pyrogenic exotoxins in group A streptococci isolated from patients in Zagreb, Croatia.

The pyrogenic exotoxin profiles were determined of group A streptococci isolated from patients in Zagreb, Croatia in the period 1989-1990. A total of 12 strains were studied, five from patients with serious infections and seven from patients with uncomplicated infections. Serotypes M1 and M3 were found in seven (58%) patients. Seven strains produced exotoxin A and ten strains exotoxin B. The proportion of exotoxin A and B producing strains in patients with severe infections (3 patients respectively) was similar to that found in patients with uncomplicated infections (4 and 7 patients respectively).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Lactate and glucose in cerebrospinal fluid heavily contaminated with blood.

To simulate a traumatic lumbar puncture, blood was added to 33 normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens. A hypothesis was tested if the CSF glucose and CSF lactate were unchanged after contamination with blood. Lactate and glucose here measured in both normal and blood-stained CSF. The estimated contamination of the normal CSF with red cells ranged from 84000 to 676500 cells per cubic millimeter. CSF lactate was unchanged by the addition of blood (P = 0.8), whereas CSF glucose was significantly higher in the blood-stained CSF (P = 0.0005). Therefore, the determination of lactate levels in the CSF heavily contaminated with blood could be useful in differentiating viral from bacterial meningitis.

Blood↗
PubMed1988

Mononucleosis-like syndrome associated with a multisystem Coxsackie virus type B3 infection in adolescence.

We describe a severe multisystem Coxsackie virus type B3 infection in a previously healthy 14-year-old girl who presented with a mononucleosis-like syndrome (MS). Initial observations included a prominent cervical lymphadenopathy, exudative pharyngitis and leucocytosis with atypical lymphocytosis. At the end of the 2nd week of illness the patient developed meningoencephalomyelitis and haemolytic anaemia. Subclinical myocarditis was also recorded. Prolonged hepatitis recrudescing at the time of recovery coincided with serological evidence of a reactivated Epstein-Barr virus infection. The diagnosis was based on a significant rise in serum antibody titres against Coxsackie virus type B3, using the neutralization test. Intrathecal synthesis of antibodies to Coxsackie virus type B3 was also demonstrated. Generalized Coxsackie virus infections in adolescence are rare and an MS has not, to our knowledge, been associated with Coxsackie virus type B3 infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Cytomegalovirus mononucleosis in children compared with the infection in adults and with Epstein-Barr virus mononucleosis.

We report clinical and laboratory findings in 11 previously healthy children with cytomegalovirus (CMV) mononucleosis and compare them with those of 18 adults with CMV mononucleosis and with those of 22 age-matched children with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) mononucleosis. Exudative pharyngitis was more common in children whereas prolonged fever was more common in adults. Prominent lymphadenopathy and exudative pharyngitis, however, were less frequent in children with CMV mononucleosis than in those with EBV mononucleosis. Nevertheless, children with CMV mononucleosis are more likely to resemble those with EBV mononucleosis than adults with CMV mononucleosis.

Adolescent↗