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Biomedical subjects

J S Keystone

Publications and source records attributed to J S Keystone.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Intestinal parasites in metropolitan Toronto day-care centres.

In 1981, 900 children (aged 3 months to 10 years) and 146 staff attending 22 day-care centres in metropolitan Toronto chosen at random provided a stool specimen in a survey for intestinal parasites. Of the children, 4% to 36% were infected in 20 of 22 centres. Overall, 19% of the children and 14% of the staff had intestinal parasites: 8.6% and 4.0% respectively had Dientamoeba fragilis, and 7.8% and 2.0% respectively had Giardia lamblia. The highest prevalence of dientamebiasis was in the 7- to 10-year-olds, whereas giardiasis was detected most frequently in the 6-year-olds. Infection with intestinal parasites was not correlated with age, sex, duration in the day-care centre, dog ownership, travel history, gastrointestinal symptoms or the proportion of children in the day-care centre who were born in less developed countries. Immigrant children and children of parents born in industrialized countries (including Canada) were more likely to be infected than were children born in Canada of parents from the developing world. Dientamebiasis was associated with cat ownership. Thus, intestinal protozoa--in particular, D. fragilis and G. lamblia--are endemic in Toronto day-care centres.

Canada↗
PubMed1984

Diagnosis and management of hydatid disease of the liver. A 15-year North American experience.

Since 1967, 40 patients with hydatid disease of the liver have been treated at our hospital. Diagnosis was made using clinical criteria, serology, skin tests, and imaging techniques. Thirty-five patients were operated upon. In 18 patients the cyst was uncomplicated (Group I), and in 17 the cyst was infected or communicated with the biliary tract (Group II). Three forms of surgical treatment were used: A) cyst evacuation, scolicidal irrigation, and primary cyst closure, B) evacuation, irrigation, and external drainage, and C) complete or partial cyst resection. Mebendazole was used in six patients, four of whom were also treated surgically. In Group I, one of 11 patients (8%) treated by primary closure had complications, versus four of five patients (80%) treated with external drainage (p less than 0.001). Mean postoperative hospital stay for these two groups was 11.8 versus 20.8 days, respectively (p less than 0.001). Complication rates in Group II were higher, and were evenly distributed among treatments. Patients have been followed yearly, with a median follow-up of 5 years. Active hydatid disease has been found in three patients, who all had known residual disease at initial operation. The best treatment for an uncomplicated hydatid liver cyst is evacuation, scolicidal irrigation, and primary closure. External drainage is used for infected cysts or those communicating with the biliary tract, and excision for extrahepatic and peripheral, easily resectable cysts. Mebendazole is used for intraperitoneal spillage of cyst contents and in patients with inoperable disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Drug sensitivity and isoenzyme type in cloned lines of Plasmodium falciparum.

Clones have been derived by limiting dilution from recent isolates of Plasmodium falciparum from Africa and Brazil. These clones have been characterized for pyrimethamine and chloroquine sensitivity and/or isoenzyme type. Clones obtained from an isolate containing a mixture of GPI isoenzyme types were found to have (with one exception) only GPI-1 or GPI-2. Clones differing 1,000-fold in pyrimethamine resistance were derived from a single isolate from Brazil which was resistant to both pyrimethamine and chloroquine. Several levels of chloroquine sensitivity were observed in the isolates studied. All clones showed levels of chloroquine sensitivity similar to that of their parent isolates. The KZ1 isolate from East Africa had an intermediate level of chloroquine resistance and a flat dose-response curve and each of its clones had a similar dose-response curve, indicating that the intermediate level of chloroquine resistance did not result from the KZ1 isolate's being a mixture of clones with high and low sensitivity.

Africa↗
PubMed1983

Safety and efficacy of diphetarsone in the treatment of amoebiasis, non-pathogenic amoebiasis and trichuriasis.

Eighty-nine patients infected with Entamoeba histolytica, non-pathogenic amoebae or Trichuris trichiura were studied prospectively to determine the safety and efficacy of diphetarsone therapy. An additional 75 patients were studied retrospectively to assess further the efficacy of diphetarsone in the treatment of E. histolytica cyst passers. Side effects were noted in 9% and included gastrointestinal upset, lightheadedness and headache. Transient liver function abnormalities were recorded in 5.6%. diphetarsone was completely effective in the treatment of Dientamoeba fragilis, Entamoeba hartmanni, Iodamoeba buetschlii and Trichuris trichiura. 99% of the patients with E. histolytica, 97% of those with E. coli and 98% of those with Endolimax nana were cured.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Safety and toxicity of oxamniquine in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni infections, with particular reference to electroencephalographic abnormalities.

Thirty-seven patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni were treated with oxamniquine. All were cured. The only significant adverse reaction was the development of abnormal electroencephalographic (EEG) findings in 6 (17.6%) of 34 patients whose pretreatment EEG was normal. Management of patients, with particular reference to the EEG abnormalities, is discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Angioedema due to diphetarsone and a review of its toxicity.

Diphetarsone is an arsenical used in the treatment of intestinal amoebiasis and trichuriasis. It is an efficacious drug with minimal toxicity. However, in this report, a heretofore undescribed reaction, that of generalized angioedema, is presented. A review of diphetarsone toxicity is also presented.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Health advice for aircrew on refugee flights.

In order to assess measures taken by airlines to protect the health of crews on refugee flights, a survey was made of airlines involved in transporting Indochinese refugees from Southeast Asia. Five of the 20 airlines surveyed provided sufficient data for analysis. Combined, the five airlines transported approximately 2,500 refugees on more than 100 flights, involving at least one crew change per flight. Health measures varied considerably among airlines. Immunizations alone sufficed in some cases, whereas others required flight attendants to wear gloves and provided anti-malarials, even for crew which did not enter malarious areas. Where antimalarials were recommended, they were not protective against Southeast Asian strains of P. falciparum malaria. No airline noted an increase in illness among aircrew involved in refugee flights. Disinsection procedures were improperly performed in three airlines; one airline did not disinsect at all. Aircrew were generally overly immunized and, in some cases, overly protected in a setting where the probability of disease transmission was low.

Antimalarials↗
PubMed1981

Visceral larva migrans (toxocariasis) in Toronto.

A 7-year-old child was admitted to Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children in 1976 with symptoms and laboratory findings compatible with visceral larva migrans, a disease usually caused by Toxocara canis. This prompted a search for other cases seen at the hospital during the period 1952 through 1978. Only 18 cases were discovered that met at least three of six criteria and thus were considered possible or probably cases of the disease. Three possible cases of ocular toxocariasis during the same period were also uncovered. Fever was the commonest presenting symptom. Eosinophilia, leukocytosis and hyperglobulinemia were the most frequent laboratory findings. In view of the small number of cases found in 27 years at this large pediatric hospital with a broad referral base, it is concluded that visceral larva migrans poses little risk to the health of children in the Toronto area.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Intestinal parasitic infections in homosexual men: prevalence, symptoms and factors in transmission.

In a controlled study 67.5% of 200 homosexual men but only 16% of 100 heterosexual men were found to be infected with intestinal parasites. Entamoeba histolytica was isolated from 27% of the homosexual and 1% of the heterosexual men, and Giardia lamblia was isolated from 13% of the homosexual and 3% of the heterosexual men. The presence of symptoms could not be correlated with infection except when the infection was caused by more than one organism, including G. lamblia. Symptoms were much more common in both infected and uninfected homosexuals than in heterosexuals. Among the homosexual men recent foreign travel, living in a homosexual household and promiscuity were not correlated with intestinal parasitic infection, but cleansing of the anus before and sex was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of infection. These findings suggest that the male homosexual community may be an important reservoir of potentially pathogenic protozoa.

Adolescent↗