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M Strobel

Publications and source records attributed to M Strobel.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Serological, epidemiological, and molecular differences between human T-cell lymphotropic virus Type 1 (HTLV-1)-seropositive healthy carriers and persons with HTLV-I Gag indeterminate Western blot patterns from the Caribbean.

To investigate the significance of serological human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HLTV-1) Gag indeterminate Western blot (WB) patterns in the Caribbean, a 6-year (1993 to 1998) cross-sectional study was conducted with 37,724 blood donors from Guadeloupe (French West Indies), whose sera were routinely screened by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the presence of HTLV-1 and -2 antibodies. By using stringent WB criteria, 77 donors (0.20%) were confirmed HTLV-1 seropositive, whereas 150 (0.40%; P < 0.001) were considered HTLV seroindeterminate. Among them, 41.3% (62) exhibited a typical HTLV-1 Gag indeterminate profile (HGIP). Furthermore 76 (50.7%) out of the 150 HTLV-seroindeterminate subjects were sequentially retested, with a mean duration of follow-up of 18.3 months (range, 1 to 70 months). Of these, 55 (72.4%) were still EIA positive and maintained the same WB profile whereas the others became EIA negative. This follow-up survey included 33 persons with an HGIP. Twenty-three of them (69.7%) had profiles that did not evolve over time. Moreover, no case of HTLV-1 seroconversion could be documented over time by studying such sequential samples. HTLV-1 seroprevalence was characterized by an age-dependent curve, a uniform excess in females, a significant relation with hepatitis B core (HBc) antibodies, and a microcluster distribution along the Atlantic coast of Guadeloupe. In contrast, the persons with an HGIP were significantly younger, had a 1:1 sex ratio, did not present any association with HBc antibodies, and were not clustered along the Atlantic façade. These divergent epidemiological features, together with discordant serological screening test results for subjects with HGIP and with the lack of HTLV-1 proviral sequences detected by PCR in their peripheral blood mononuclear cell DNA, strongly suggest that an HGIP does not reflect true HTLV-1 infection. In regard to these data, healthy blood donors with HGIP should be reassured that they are unlikely to be infected with HTLV-1 or HTLV-2.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Improved method for rapid determination of vitamin A in small samples of breast milk by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Employing a short, potassium hydroxide (KOH) saponification (25 min) and rapid extraction with n-hexane-toluene (1:1) and a <4-min retention time, a convenient, rapid, accurate and precise determination of vitamin A in breast milk was developed. The recovery rate was 102.3 +/- 2.5% and the small relative standard deviation (intra-assay 1.9%, inter-assay 2.3%) resulted in high precision. The amount of breast milk needed is very low (1 ml) which makes the method suitable for the use in free field studies with large sample sizes. The simple extraction and separation steps allow a high throughput screening under routine laboratory conditions.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed2000

[Therapy and prognosis of enchondroma of the hand].

Enchondromas are the most common bone tumors of the hand. In a retrospective study, medical records and radiographs of 112 patients were reviewed. These patients were operated on between January 1973 and June 1997. After extirpation of the tumor, the defect was preferably treated with bone grafting in 102 patients. A malignant transformation (chondrosarcoma) was diagnosed in 2 patients. Follow-up examination of 92 patients with a mean follow-up of 1.6 years (range: 7 months to 14 years) yielded excellent or good results in 76 patients (82.6%), according to the evaluation scheme of Wilhelm and Feldmeier. Four recurrences were probably related to an incomplete resection of the tumor. The authors conclude that enchondromas of the hand should be treated surgically to prove the diagnosis and to prevent a pathologic fracture.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Trends of AIDS in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) a longitudinal survey from 1988 to 1997.

The study objective was to describe morbidity and mortality from HIV infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Guadeloupe from 1988 to 1997 and to evaluate survival and prognostic factors. The HIV infected patients database of Guadeloupe included 1771 adult patients up to December 31, 1997. Annual incidence of AIDS defining illnesses was calculated and compared using Poisson regression. Survival analysis with log-rank test and multivariate analysis with Cox's model were performed for patients with AIDS. At the end of December 1997, 599 cases of AIDS (33.8%) and 367 deaths (20.7%) were reported. For 32.1% of the patients, AIDS was diagnosed before inclusion. Incidence of most AIDS-defining events decreased over time, especially after the introduction of protease inhibitor therapy. Before the introduction of protease inhibitors in September 1996, overall median survival after AIDS diagnosis was 11.8 months (95% Confidence Interval (CI), 95% CI 10.2-14.1). After this date median survival increased to 17.8 months (95% CI 18.6-22.5) and probability of survival was significantly higher for patients treated with protease inhibitor in combination regimen (mean 19.0 months, Standard deviation (SD) 1.3) compared to those who were not (mean 7.9 months, SD 0.6, p < 0.0001). Prognosis factors of death after AIDS were older age (Relative Hazard, RH: 1.17, 95% CI 1.07-1.28), occurrence of two or more AIDS-defining events at the beginning of the disease (RH: 1.70, 95% CI 1.32-2.19), and a CD4 cell count less than 50/mm3 (RH: 2.33, 95% CI 1.71-3.17). On the other hand, occurrence of AIDS during follow-up had a better prognosis (RH: 0.68, 95% CI 0.52-0.89) and protease inhibitor therapy was strongly associated with a longer survival (RH 0.26, 95% CI 0.13-0.53). We concluded that HIV infection in Guadeloupe was frequently diagnosed at the stage of AIDS. However, survival of patients and trends of major AIDS defining illnesses were more similar to the European pattern than to the Caribbean one, as a consequence of the availability of modern therapy.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2000

[Dengue fever].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[Pneumococcus: an unusual agent of maternal-fetal infection].

BACKGROUND: Since the advent of antibiotics, Streptococcus pneumoniae has become a very unusual agent of materno-fetal infection. We report two cases. CASE REPORTS: In case n(o) 1, early neonatal meningitis was caused by a penicillin-resistant strain. In case n(o) 2, the mother developed meningitis 16 days after delivery. In both cases, premature rupture of the membranes in otherwise asymptomatic mothers was the initial event and outcome was favorable under amoxicillin alone. The pneumococci were easily recovered fom placental, amniotic and neonatal samples, less easily from the maternal samples. DISCUSSION: The increasing prevalence of penicillin-resistant pneumococci is an emerging problem of real concern. It might increase the very low present incidence of pneumococcal neonatal materno-fetal infection which is a particularly serious infection with up to 60% neonatal mortality. Any type of S. pneumoniae infection, or even colonization, occurring in the peripartum should prompt adequate treatment and suggests considering first line vancomycin for the newborn.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Geographical clustering of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I in Guadeloupe, an endemic Caribbean area.

Between January 1989 and December 1996, 59,426 blood donors from Guadeloupe (French West Indies) were screened for antibodies to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I). Of these, 195 were confirmed as being positive for HTLV-I, yielding an overall prevalence of 0.33% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.28-0.38]. On multiple logistic regression analysis, risk factors for HTLV-I were female gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.8; CI 1.3-2.4], increasing age (30-39 years, OR 2.2, CI 1.4-3.4; 40-49 years, OR 3.1, CI 2.1-4.7; > or =50 years, OR 5.6, CI 3.6-8.6) and positive hepatitis B core antibodies (OR 2.0; CI 1.5-2.8). HTLV-I seropositivity was also significantly associated with current residence in certain areas, highlighting microgeographic clustering: individuals living along the Atlantic Facade of Guadeloupe, which is a traditional sugar cane plantation area where Africans were brought during slave trading, were at increased risk for HTLV-I infection (OR 1.9; CI 1.3-2.7) compared with other areas in Guadeloupe devoted to other activities. Our report of HTLV-I cluster identification in Guadeloupe probably reflects both its low spread and its highly intrafamilial restricted transmission within this endemic Caribbean population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Human T-lymphotropic virus type I among blood donors from Guadeloupe: donation, demographic, and biologic characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologic data on human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) are scant. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: From January 1989 to December 1996, 59,426 blood donors were screened by enzyme immunoassay for antibodies to HTLV-I. All repeatedly reactive samples were confirmed by Western blot. Temporal trends in HTLV-I seropositivity rates were examined during the study period. A multivariate analysis of donation, demographic, and biologic characteristics was performed. RESULTS: Of the screened blood donors, 195 were confirmed as seropositive, for an overall prevalence of 0.33 percent (95% CI 0.28-0.38). A marked decrease in overall HTLV-I prevalence with time (from 0.47% in 1989 to 0.13% in 1996) was observed, which can be explained mainly by the decreasing percentage of recruited new donors during the study period. Four independent risk factors for HTLV-I were identified: new donor status (odds ratio [OR] 12.5), female sex (OR 1.7), increasing age (30-39 years: OR, 2.4; 40-49 years: OR, 3.7; >50 years: OR 6.6), and positive antibodies to hepatitis B virus core antigen (OR, 1.7). Selection of specific locations for blood collection was inversely associated with HTLV-I (OR 0.5). CONCLUSION: New donor status, advancing age, female sex, and positivity for hepatitis B virus core antibodies were the major factors associated with HTLV-I infection in Guadeloupe.

Blood Donors↗
PubMed1999

[Dengue fever with neurologic expression. Three cases in adults].

Dengue fever, unlike most other arboviral diseases, does not usually cause encephalitis. However, neurologic symptoms with poor prognosis have been regularly reported, mostly in Asian children affected by the severe dengue hemorrhagic fever/dengue shock syndrome, and attributed to a non specific, anoxic or metabolic encephalopathy. Recently, first isolations of dengue viruses from CSF or brain tissue, have renewed this concept. We report 3 dengue fever cases with neurologic manifestations and favorable outcome. Occurrence in adult age, during classic (benign) dengue fever (2 cases), and neurologic sequellae (1 case) were the three outstanding features. We point out the proteiform expression of these neurologic changes and their low incidence rate (< 3% in our series of adult dengue fever). Although their pathogenesis is poorly understood, different mechanisms are suggested: encephalopathy (case n. 1), acute specific encephalitis (questionable in case n(o) 2), or post-infective encephalitis (case n(o) 3).

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Mucocutaneous manifestations of dengue].

CHANGING EPIDEMIOLOGY: During the last half of the 20th century, dengue has spread to most countries in the inter-tropical zone and today is the most common cause of human arbovirus infection. In tropical zones, dengue is a frequent cause of fever and can be observed in travellers returning from an endemic zone. SKIN AND MUCOSAL MANIFESTATIONS: Though variable, skin and mucosal manifestations are important to recognize. Exanthema occurs late after constitutional symptoms and is suggestive. Minimal hemorrhagic lesions involving the skin and mucosa are observed in common dengue. They usually do not signal progression to authentic hemorrhagic dengue or shock. DIAGNOSIS: Skin manifestations of dengue raise the more general problem of diagnosis in travellers returning from tropical zones who develop fever and rash.

Dengue↗
PubMed1998

[Emergence of dengue hemorrhagic fever in French Antilles. 3 initial fatal cases in Guadeloupe].

BACKGROUND: Two outbreaks of dengue hemorrhagic fever occurred in Guadeloupe (French West Indies) in successive epidemics in 1994 and 1995. The first outbreak was caused by DEN-2 virus and the second by DEN-1. CASE REPORTS: Seven life-threatening infections (WHO grade 3/4) were identified. Three previously healthy adults (including two brothers) died. Autopsy reports (2 patients) disclosed hemorrhagic serous effusions, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and in one case a spontaneous spleen rupture. DISCUSSION: Dengue fever is an emerging disease. Its severe hemorrhagic form tends to an uprising incidence and can no longer be considered a disease limited to children in Far-Eastern Asia. Fatalities may occur very suddenly and unexpectedly, even in optimal health care settings, in healthy adults living or travelling in endemic areas, notably the Caribbean.

Adult↗