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J Juszczyk

Publications and source records attributed to J Juszczyk.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Opportunistic infections and other AIDS-defining illnesses in Poland in 2000-2002.

BACKGROUND: The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) led to a decreased incidence of the most severe opportunistic infections (OIs) in HIV-infected patients. In Poland, HAART became widely used in 1998. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was based on data from medical records data collected in the years 2000-2002 from medical centers for HIV-infected patients in Poland. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of opportunistic infections (OIs) and other AIDS defining illnesses (ADIs). The chi(2) test was used to determine any significant trends. RESULTS: The incidence of ADIs was 6.8, 6.5 and 4.8/100 persons/year in 2000-2002, respectively. The most common diagnosed OIs were: fungal infections, tuberculosis, recurrent pneumonia, PCP and toxoplasmosis. In patients receiving HAART (HAART+) the incidence of ADIs was significantly lower than in non-ARV-treated as well as in all HIV+ (p < 0.02, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). A significant decrease in the incidence of ADIs in HAART+ patients between 2000 and 2002 (p < 0.0001) was observed. From 25% to 30% of ADIs among HAART+ patients were diagnosed within the first 3 months of antiretroviral therapy. In HAART+ patients the most common ADIs were fungal infections and tuberculosis. The diagnosis of ADIs resulted in the recognition of HIV status in 8.7-8.9% of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Five years after the introduction of HAART the incidence of ADIs had declined. Fungal infections and tuberculosis were the most common OIs in HIV+ patients in Poland.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2005

A correlation between the heterogeneity of hypervariable region 1 of E2 glycoprotein of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HCV antibody profile: a case study.

A correlation between the heterogeneity of hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of E2 glycoprotein (gp) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody profile was investigated. Of 6 patients studied two were in acute phase, two in chronic phase and two showed signs of long-time HCV infection, i.e. liver cirrhosis. All the patients exhibited a vigorous antibody response to viral proteins C, NS3, NS4 and NS5. An antibody response to HVR1 of E2 was found in one patient in acute phase and in one or two patients in chronic phase. Such a response was not found in the two patients with liver cirrhosis. Single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and sequence analyses of HVR1 of E2 showed the lowest HVR1 heterogeneity in patients in acute phase and the highest one in those in chronic phase, while the long-time carriers of the virus showed an intermediate heterogeneity. This may reflect a specific interplay between the virus and immune system. The HVR1 heterogeneity may rise in the course of infection as a means of evading the immune pressure. Then, when an organism is unable to clear the virus, because the responses to HVR1 epitopes are weakened or exhausted, a population of less heterogeneous HVR1 variants may be established.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Effectiveness of antiviral treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C (a Polish multicenter study)].

Interferon alpha (INF) is routine treatment in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Many controlled investigations were evaluated to establish the optimal schedule of treatment with sustained virological and biochemical response. Recently, multicentre meta-analyses suggest that combination therapy (INF + Ribavirin) was more effective than treatment with interferon alone. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of four schedules of antiviral treatment in 445 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Combination therapy (INF + Ribavirin) given for 6 mo. and monotherapy (INF) for 18 mo. were more effective than interferon alone given for 6 mo. Treatment with INF alone for 6 mo. was demonstrated to be insufficient.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed2000

Clinical course and consequences of hepatitis B infection.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small enveloped virus containing partially double-stranded DNA. The DNA and HBV-specific DNA polymerase are surrounded by the HBV core antigen (HBcAg), which in turn is surrounded by a lipoprotein envelope containing the HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). Serum of HBV-infected patients contains complete virus particles, as well as non-infectious spherical or filamentous HBsAg particles. Acute hepatitis is characterized by the appearance of serum HBV markers, including HBsAg and IgM anti-HBc, which then disappear during convalescence. Persistence of HBsAg for more than 6 months indicates a carrier state. Chronic hepatitis develops in 90% of newborns who become infected, compared with 29-40% of children infected and 5-10% of adults infected. The immune status of the infected person also influences the development of chronic hepatitis. Chronic HBV infection can be diagnosed by serology (identification of HBsAg and HBV DNA), biochemistry (elevated aminotransferase levels) and liver biopsy. The last is important to assess the severity of disease, its stage and prognosis, and to exclude other hepatic diseases. The outcome of chronic HBV infection varies between individuals, with estimated 5-year survivals of 97% for chronic persistent hepatitis, 86% for chronic active hepatitis, and 55% for chronic active hepatitis with cirrhosis. Treatment with interferon alpha is effective in up to 40% of cases, but in view of the very large number of infected people worldwide, vaccination to prevent spread of the disease is a more cost-effective option.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Distribution of 32 alelle of the CCR5 gene in the population of Poland.

The chemokine receptor CCR5 constitutes a major co-receptor for the R5 strains of HIV-1, and a mutant allele of the CCR5 gene, especially in the homozygous form delta32/delta32, confers resistance against infection by the virus. The frequency of the delta32 allele was determined in blood donors from 16 provinces, covering the entire territory of Poland. Among 861 individuals 182 (21.1%) were carriers of the mutated allele: 7 of them (0.8 %) were homozygotes delta32/delta32, and 175 (20.3%) were heterozygotes +/delta32, resulting in a 10.9% frequency of the delta32 allele. The highest frequencies of the mutated allele were found in the eastern and western provinces, and the lowest frequencies of the delta32 allele were detected in the provinces in the center of the country. This pattern of distribution may reflect the migration of the population from the eastern territories of Poland to the western part of the country after World War II.

Alleles↗
PubMed2000

[Dilated cardiomyopathy in HIV infection].

The HIV-positive patient with dilated cardiomyopathy was described. Possible causes of heart failure in HIV infection was discussed. To achieve subclinical heart failure diagnosis authors suggest to perform echocardiography as a routine procedure in HIV-positive patients with low CD4 lymphocytes count and who have been infected for long time or when their disease becomes more advanced.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Anti-HCV RIBA/LiaTek reactivity and HCV genotype in EIA-negative patients with viremia.

Individuals infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) usually produce anti-HCV antibodies detectable by enzyme immunoassay (EIA); however, in certain viremic cases this antibody does not appear. To investigate whether anti-HCV in these cases is detectable by Western blot (WB), 38 HCV RNA positive/anti-HCV EIA-negative sera were tested by RIBA 3.0 or LiaTek III. The HCV genotypes (INNO-LiPA) were analyzed to determine whether the variance in these genotypes can be the reason for the late, weak antibody production or its absence. As the control group, 282 EIA-positive/HCV RNA-positive patients were examined. A single band reactivity of various intensities by RIBA or LiaTek was observed in 16/38 EIA negative sera. Positive results with NS3 were detected in 4 sera and weak positive (+/-) with core, NS3, and NS5 in 5, 6, and 1 sera, respectively. In 3 cases with anti-NS3, the seroreversion was observed in follow-up. The distribution of genotypes in anti-HCV-negative versus anti-HCV-positive groups was: 1b alone, 50.0% vs. 78.0%; 3a alone, 13.2% vs. 15.6%; and mixed (1b+3a), 36.8% vs. 5.0%, respectively. The follow-up studies showed that viremia was lost spontaneously in 12/35 patients. In some patients infected with two genotypes, the spontaneous loss of the 3a genotype was observed. The study showed that WB tests are useful for serological confirmation of HCV infection in some EIA negative/HCV RNA-positive patients but, because seroreversion may occur, sequential sera samples should be tested. No unusual HCV genotype was detected in anti-HCV-negative/HCV RNA-positive cases, but the frequency of mixed infection with the 1b+3a genotypes in this group was found to be higher than that in anti-HCV-positive hepatitis patients.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed1999

[Cryptosporidiosis in HIV-positive patients].

Cryptosporidium parvum is a coccidian parasite that affects millions of people worldwide. Clinical outcome of human cryptosporidiosis differs between immunocompetent and immnunodeficient individuals. C. parvum is responsible for causing protracted and life-threatening diarrhea, biliary, and pulmonary infections in immunocompromised persons, especially in patients with AIDS. Though no effective treatment has been found so far, early diagnosis may be useful in controlling the infection. Thirty-eight stool specimens obtained from 35 HIV-positive patients admitted to the Clinic of Infectious Diseases in Poznań, Poland, were examined for the detection of oocysts, coproantigen and DNA of Cryptosporidium using standard microscopic, immunologic and molecular diagnostic methods. The presence of Cryptosporidium was detected in 10 HIV-positive patients. Oocysts, coproantigen and DNA of this parasite were identified solely in one specimen while Cryptosporidium DNA was detected in 8 specimens. Cryptosporidium coproantigen was found only in one sample. Although, the PCR was the most useful technique in the detection of Cryptosporidium in HIV-positive patients it should be noted that PCR has many pitfalls and needs to be carefully controlled to avoid both false positive and false negative results.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1997

Reduced glutathione concentration in erythrocytes of patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis.

Reduced glutathione (GSH), the main intracellular mechanism that protects against oxidative stress, is the subject of considerable interest in viral hepatitis. In patients with chronic hepatitis C, results reported from different centres are controversial, demonstrating either a reduction or an elevation of GSH concentration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the glutathione concentration in erythrocytes (normal range 2.45 +/- 0.15 mmol l-1) in patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis. In 52 patients with acute viral hepatitis (hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection) there was marked reduction of GSH at the beginning of the disease (0.79 +/- 0.43 mmol l-1, P < 0.001) with high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity (1549 +/- 772.9 IU l-1). In 37 patients with chronic HCV infection the mean value of GSH was below the normal range (1.92 +/- 0.62 mmol l-1, P < 0.001). In 60% of patients (n = 22), depletion of GSH was observed and 40% (n = 15) presented with a normal concentration of GSH. In 10 patients with chronic HBV infection the mean value of GSH was also below the normal range (1.93 +/- 0.32 mmol l-1, P < 0.001); in 80% of cases (n = 8) depletion of GSH was observed and 20% of patients (n = 2) had normal GSH concentrations. The ALT activity was not significantly different in patients with depleted and normal GSH concentrations (P > 0.05) in groups with chronic HBV and HCV infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

[Humoral response in hepatitis C infections: types of anti-HCV and reactivity evaluated using BLOT-index].

In this paper an attempt has been made at quantitative evaluation of reactivity of various types anti-HCV using proposed BLOT-index. We based our research on 20 patients diagnosed with hepatitis-C (clinical, biochemical, serological and enzymatical criteria--repeatedly positive results of second generation screening tests EIA ABBOTT HCV and UBI HCV Monoelisa Organon Teknika) who were anti-HCV determined at the beginning the acute phase and after 3 and 6 months. Multiantigen tests were used veryfying LIATEK-HCV 2 and LIATEK-HCV 3 Organon Teknika. Value of BLOT-index was algebraic sum of "pluses" for particular anti-HCV. Three models of dynamics of BLOT-index were observed: increase, plateau and decrease. Statistically significant differences between values of BLOT-index were shown at the beginning of the acute phase of hepatitis-C and after 6 months. There were no differences observed between convalescents and patients who developed chronic hepatitis-C (test t-Student's and f-Fisher's). Reactivity of anti-HCV, evaluated using BLOT-index, shown increasing trend, which is a dominant pattern, however quantitative and qualitative changes do not occur more frequently than every 6 months. The LIATEK-HCV 3 gives fewer undetermined reactions and detects anti-HCV earlier than a former generation of this test.

Adult↗