Reversal by ceftriaxone of dilated cardiomyopathy Borrelia burgdorferi infection.
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Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗
Biomedical subjects
K Pierer
Publications and source records attributed to K Pierer.
[Clinical aspects of early summer meningoencephalitis in Styria].
117 cases of clinically manifest tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) in Styria, Austria, the years 1987 to 1990 are reported in terms relevant anamnestic data, clinical findings (meningitis, meningoencephalitis, meningoradiculitis) and course. The geographic distribution corresponds to the known endemic areas for TBE in Styria. We found a significant decrease of incidence. The prognosis of the disease was benign in general; more than 80% ran a course free from complications. A small proportion (5%), however, suffer from severe residual handicap. These patients are subsumed under the group of meningo-radiculitides. Two patients (1.8%) acquired the disease despite having been vaccinated regularly.
Adolescent↗
[Sialolithiasis].
Affections of the major salivary glands are relatively rare in stomatology; but according to the indications of several authors, the proportion of sialolithiasis to the total amount of affections of the salivary glands (ranging from 20.5 to 55.5%) is great. The concretions are, as a rule, located in the duct system of the submandibular gland where they may reach, circumstances permitting, considerable sizes. The author's own investigations evidence that these calculi have a partly regular, partly irregular shell-like structure around a non-calcified centre. Chemical analysis by means of X-ray diffractometry revealed hydroxyapatite varying in the degree of cristallinity as the major component. Precursors in the form of octacalcium phosphate and dicalcium phosphate dihydrate have been disclosed. Salivary calculi must be removed (most frequently by surgical intervention) to avoid secondary diseases of the duct system of the respective gland.
Crystallization↗
Rapid detection of Chlamydia trachomatis in conjunctival, pharyngeal, and urethral specimens with a new polymerase chain reaction assay.
GOAL OF THIS STUDY: The Amplicor polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis (Roche Molecular Systems, Branchburg, NJ) was evaluated on conjunctival, pharyngeal, and urethral swabs. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 515 conjunctival, pharyngeal, and urethral swabs. The reference system was culture with McCoy cells in shell vials with fluorescent immunostaining. One swab was used for both cell culture and the molecular assay. Initial storage took place in 2-SP medium. After transfer to Amplicor specimen transport medium the molecular assay was done using the Amplicor Chlamydia trachomatis amplification and detection kits. RESULTS: The total positive rate was 6.6%. Specificity of culture was 100%. The evaluated molecular assay gave a specificity of 99.8%. Sensitivities of PCR and culture were 100% and 85.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the high sensitivity, specificity, and ease of use, the molecular assay was found to be a good alternative to culture for detection of C. trachomatis in conjunctival, pharyngeal, and urethral specimens.
Adolescent↗
Evaluation of molecular parameters for routine assessment of viremia in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are undergoing antiviral therapy.
OBJECTIVE: To define the usefulness of molecular parameters in patients with chronic hepatitis C who are undergoing antiviral therapy. Anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment was monitored by determination of serum HCV load and by presence of HCV RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). STUDY DESIGN/METHODS: Fifty-one patients with chronic hepatitis C undergoing antiviral therapy with interferon-alpha plus ribavirin were studied. Serum HCV RNA load was tested with a quantitative assay (Amplicor HCV Monitor Test) before, during, and up to 12 months after end of treatment. If HCV RNA was not detectable, serum samples were subsequently tested with a qualitative assay (Cobas Amplicor HCV Test) and corresponding ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-treated blood was checked for presence of HCV RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Sustained virologic response was defined by loss of HCV RNA 12 months after the end of treatment. RESULTS: Four patients (7.8%) were found to be sustained virologic responders, 17 (33.3%) were transient virologic responders, and 30 (58.8%) were virologic nonresponders. No significant difference was found in the median pretreatment serum HCV RNA load between sustained virologic responders, transient virologic responders, and virologic nonresponders. At 1 month after start of therapy, HCV RNA was not detectable with both the serum and the PBMC assay in 12 (23.5%) of 51 patients. Four remained HCV RNA-negative until 12 months after the end of treatment. In 14 of 17 transient virologic responders, reappearance of HCV RNA was detected earlier in PBMCs than in serum. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results in 51 patients, quantitation of baseline serum HCV RNA does not appear to be a decisive factor to the management of the individual patient. Early assessment of serum HCV RNA level after start of anti-viral treatment seems to be of major importance to identify virologic nonresponders. Reappearance of HCV RNA may be demonstrated earlier in PBMCs than in serum.
Adult↗