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Biomedical subjects

M Quarto

Publications and source records attributed to M Quarto.

69 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Comparative evaluation of 2 epidemiologic surveillance systems of hepatitis A].

Epidemiological surveillance represents an important tool for the prevention of hepatitis A. In Italy, the surveillance of hepatitis A is based on the routine notification system of infectious diseases (from 1996 it was replaced by SIMI, Computerised System of Infectious Diseases) and on SEIEVA (Epidemiological Integrated System of Acute Viral Hepatitis). From 1997 to 2000 the two surveillance systems have been compared in Puglia region to evaluate match rate, completeness and sensitivity. A total of 7.018 records from SIMI and 4.413 from SEIEVA have been analyzed. During this period, the 37.0% of cases notified to SIMI match SEIEVA records whereas the 58.8% of cases reported to SEIEVA match cases notified to SIMI. Therefore, the match rate between the two systems was 29.0%. The sensitivity of SIMI and SEIEVA resulted 79.4% and 49.9% respectively. The comparison of the two surveillance systems allowed to recognise problems in local organisation. Therefore, a more adequate training should be supplied to workers involved in the surveillance activities.

Hepatitis A↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The effectiveness of enoxacin for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infection].

In this study we evaluated the efficacy of enoxacin in treating complicated urinary tract infections (UTI). We isolated 21 bacterial strains from 20 enrolled patients and all the strains showed "in vitro" susceptibility to enoxacin. The most represented bacterial strain was E. coli (47.7%). After 48 hs and after 30 days from the end of the treatment, we observed clinical and bacteriological recovery in 65% and 55% of the patients, respectively. However, 6 out of the 20 patients (30%) interrupted the treatment due to mild-severe side effects. In conclusion, enoxacin showed a good antibacterial activity, but it could be necessary to lower daily dosage and to extend the treating period to prevent side effects.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Carriers of Neisseria meningitidis among teen-agers in Apulia (Italy)].

An investigation about N. meningitidis carriers was carried out in Apulia (Italy) among teen-agers. 85 healthy carriers were identified (1.4%): the 81.2% of isolates resulted polyagglutinable, 3.5% autoagglutinable and 1.2% were not classifiable with antisera. The other strains belonged to serogroup B (9.4%), W135 (2.3%), Y (1.2%) and 29E (1.2%). Some Authors report that non-groupable strains are usually isolated from healthy carriers pharynx. The most recent molecular methods permit to subdivide these bacteria in serotype and serosubtype by membrane protein antigens, too. So, today the only identification as serogroup is not able to study N. meningitidis epidemiology.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Report on Citrobacter strains having antigenic relationship with "E. coli", and their characteristics (author's transl)].

During a research done on the diffusion of enteropathogenic E. coli in a children's community, 24 strains of Citrobacter have been isolated. By agglutination and agar-gel diffusion techniques, they looked to have some somatic antigens in common with those serogroups of enteropathogenic E. coli. The results were as follows: 14 strains were correlated with the serogroup O111; 9 strains with the serogroup O125 and 1 strain with the serogroup O55. The isolation of these strains has been made at the same period when we have found out the E. coli of homologous serogroups, even if they didn't belong to the same subjects. The colicine typing and sensibility to antibiotics tests made both on Citrobacter strains and on E. coli ones of homologous serogroups haven't pointed out other characteristics of identity. Furthermore, antigenic relationships between the 24 strains of Citrobacter and different serogroups of Salmonella have been demonstrated, that is: the strains containing the somatic antigen O111 were correlated with the serogroup O35; the strains having the somatic antigen O125, with the serogroup O6, 14, 24 and the strain containing the somatic antigen O55, with the serogroup O50. The presence of these strains in normal subjects only, gives a further witness that their role in enteric infections remains to be demonstrated.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Researches on some biochemical and serological properties and on the sensitivity to antibiotics of L-forms of "Proteus" (author's transl)].

The possibility to keep some biochemical reactions of the parent strains (urease-positive, glucose fermentation, phenylalanine-deaminase-positive, H2S but not indol production) was demonstrated in 5 L-forms, obtained from as many strains of Pr. mirabilis and in 1 L-form, isolated from a vaginal secretion and identified as belonging to the same species. The indirect hemagglutination technique, made by the sonicated antigen in 3 of the 6 L-forms with Proteus OXK antiserum, resulted positive in titers varying from 1:128 to 1:1024. Crossed tests made with antisera for different bacterial species (e. coli, Shigella, klebsiella, ecc.) and of Mycoplasma (M. hominis, M. orale, M. salivarium, M. fermentans, M. arthritidis) put in evidence aspecific reactions only in 1.3% of the bacterial antisera. On the contrary, all 5 antisera for Mycoplasma were able to agglutinate the sensitized erythrocytes at titers quite analogous to that of the homologous antiserum. The sensitivities to various antibiotics of the 6 L-forms and the parent strains has been determined. All of L-forms were more resistent to the tetracycline than L-forms of other bacterial species. On the basis of te results got by biochemical and serological tests, we confirm the necessity to make use of both the groups of tests, in order to identify the L-forms of recent isolation.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Researches on some properties of inhibitory substances produced by strains of "N. meningitidis" (author's transl)].

Some properties of three inhibitory substances produced by as many strains of N. meningitidis have been studied. All these substances appeared to be completely destroyed by proteolytic enzymes (trypsin and pronase) and to be very heat-stable; they were insensitive to ultraviolet light and they were stable pH 2-10; filtration through filters of different porosity (Seitz, Berkefeld, millipore membranes) resulted in loss of the inhibitory effect constantly. On the basis of these results and on their specific action specific action, it is possible to class these substances among bacteriocins ("meningocins") at low molecular weight.

Bacteriocins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Properties of 5 H2-S-positive strains of "Escherichia coli" (author's transl)].

Some properties of 5 H2S+ strains of E. coli (labeled EC1-EC5, of which 4 isolated from the feces of subjects with gastroenteritis and 1 from a patients with cystopyelitis) has been studied. Of these, two resulted to belong to the O140 and one to the O127 serological groups; other 2 strains were found to react respectively with two (O84 and O108) and three (O65, O70 and O71) E. coli antisera. H2S- segregants were spontaneously obtained from 3 of these strans, but with different frequency: it was very low in EC5 (1.4%) and especially in EC3 (0.2%) strains, but appeared higher in EC4 (39.3%) strain. Clones from EC4 strain were also raffinose-negative; 11 of 12 obtained from EC5 strain (resistant to tetracycline) appeared sensible to tetracycline. Only one strain (EC4) has been able to transfer the H2S+ character with 4.7% frequency; another strain (EC5) transferred tetracycline-resistance character, but with lower frequency. Raffinose-positive character has never been transferred.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗