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Biomedical subjects

M Struelens

Publications and source records attributed to M Struelens.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Typing of Legionella pneumophila strains by polymerase chain reaction-mediated DNA fingerprinting.

Well-defined Legionella pneumophila strains were analyzed by amplification of variable genomic regions with arbitrary and repeat sequence primers. Clinical and environmental outbreak-related isolates showed closely related amplicon patterns. Eleven strains of unrelated origins displayed 10 distinct patterns. Fingerprinting of L. pneumophila by polymerase chain reaction appeared to have the potential of being as epidemiologically useful as other genotypic methods.

Bacterial Typing Techniques↗
PubMed1993

Modulation of inflammatory reactions by previous contact with Escherichia coli in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To find out if contact with Escherichia coli had any effect on a subsequent inflammatory reaction induced by the same micro-organism. DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. SETTING: University laboratory. MATERIAL: Male white Wistar rats divided into groups of 6 to 10. INTERVENTIONS: Pretreatment with sponges soaked in 1 x 10(9) heat killed E. coli inserted either subcutaneously into the back or intraperitoneally into the right hypochondrium, and 14 days later repeat challenge. Controls received sponges soaked either in saline with penicillin and streptomycin or with carrageenan lambda. Pretreatment with live or heat killed E. coli or E. coli endotoxin injected intradermally or intraperitoneally (controls were given saline). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Number of white cells present in the inflammatory infiltrate and the peritoneal cavity, and titres of anti-E. coli antibody. RESULTS: Pretreatment of Wistar rats with heat-killed or live E. coli (ATCC 25922) was followed by increase in the cellular infiltrates at the site of subsequent challenge with the same micro-organism. The effect was not related to the synthesis of anti-E. coli antibodies. CONCLUSION: Surgical patients have commonly been in previous contact with E. coli; this might affect their inflammatory reactions if they came into contact with the organism after operation. Further studies are needed to clarify the precise mechanisms and clinical relevance of these findings.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Streptococcus beta hemolytic necrotizing fasciitis. 5 cases in the Brussels area].

In the Brussels area five cases of necrotizing fasciitis occurred during the past two years in patients devoid of any pathology likely to lower the immune defence mechanisms. Alcoholism and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs seem to act as contributory factors. Necrotizing fasciitis develops alone or as complication of a pre-existent dermo-hypodermic infection. A massive use of antibiotics and a wide surgical slitting up failed to prevent a fatal issue in all five patients. Extremely early massive surgery remains vital in this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Death in shigellosis: incidence and risk factors in hospitalized patients.

The total number of admissions and deaths of patients with shigellosis were ascertained at the Dhaka Treatment Centre of the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, 1974-1988, and the characteristics of 67 patients who died were compared with those of 134 discharged alive. Of 9780 Shigella-infected inpatients, 889 (9.1%) died; 32.3% of deaths occurred in children less than 1 year of age. Fatality rates were highest (10.3%) in Shigella sonnei-infected patients and lowest (6.7%) in Shigella dysenteriae type 1-infected patients. Age less than 1 year, lack of breast feeding in patients 1-2 years of age, hypothermia, severe malnutrition, severe dehydration, altered consciousness, abdominal distension, thrombocytopenia, hypoproteinemia, hyponatremia, hypoglycemia, renal failure, and bacteremia were all significantly more common in case patients. In a multivariate analysis, younger age, decreased serum protein, altered consciousness, and thrombocytopenia were predictive of death. Thus in Bangladesh the fatality rate for hospitalized patients infected with any species of Shigella remains high despite relatively intensive inpatient care, and young, hypoproteinemic patients are at greatest risk of fatal illness.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Effects of estrogens and calcium on calcitonin secretion in postmenopausal women.

The protective action of estrogens on bone mass may be mediated by an increase in calcitonin (CT) secretion. We reevaluated this hypothesis using a method for measuring CT in extracts of serum that allows sensitive specific measurement of CT monomer. We studied seven healthy postmenopausal women before and on the 7th and 28th days of each of three 4-week treatment periods: estrogen (estradiol valerate; 2 mg/day), calcium supplement (1500 mg/day), and estrogen plus calcium; the three cycles were separated by intervals of 4 weeks. Serum extractable CT (exCT) levels were measured before and after a short calcium stimulation test (2 mg Ca/kg in 5 min) to assess the C-cell secretory response on each day. Estrogen had the expected biological effects, decreasing (P less than 0.05) serum gonadotropin concentrations and fasting or 24-h urinary calcium excretion. The calcium supplement caused a significant increase in 24-h urinary calcium excretion. However, there was no increase in basal or stimulated serum exCT levels during any of the three cycles. On the contrary, basal serum exCT concentrations decreased slightly but significantly during estrogen treatment from 1.9 +/- 0.5 (+/- SE) to 1.5 +/- 0.4 ng/L on day 7 and 1.2 +/- 0.2 ng/L on day 28 (P less than 0.05). This decrease in basal exCT levels did not occur during the combined estrogen and calcium administration period, probably because the slight decrease in serum calcium induced by estrogen did not occur during combined estrogen and calcium administration. In summary, estrogens do not stimulate CT secretion; variations in serum exCT levels appear to be related to the changes in bone metabolism induced by estrogens.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Granulocyte elastase compared to C-reactive protein for early diagnosis of septicemia in critically ill patients.

Plasma levels of granulocyte elastase and C-reactive protein were measured 0, 12, 24 and 48 h after suspicion of septicemia in 64 critically ill patients. Initial elastase levels were higher in 16 bacteremic patients (mean 773 micrograms/l) than in 48 non-bacteremic patients (mean 341 micrograms/l, p less than 0.01), whereas C-reactive protein levels were similar in both groups. At a level of 100% sensitivity for the early detection of septicemia, increased elastase was less than 50% specific, indicating limited diagnostic usefulness in this setting.

C-Reactive Protein↗
PubMed1986

[Control of diabetes in the perioperative period].

Surgical procedure and anaesthesia commonly induce severe diabetes maladjustment. In these circumstances, optimal insulin administration is crucial and has been shown to prevent hyperglycaemia which is mostly due to insulin-counteracting hormones. We report the results obtained in 12 diabetic patients treated with a new method during various surgical procedures. The method consists of constant rate intravenous administration of a 5% glucose solution associated with intravenous insulin infusion delivered by an electric syringe at the rate of 1/2 U of insulin per hour for each glycaemic variation of 50 mg/dl. With this simple method, blood glucose concentrations remain close to physiological levels, and no hypoglycaemia occurs.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Bismuth encephalopathy.

Bismuth encephalopathy, characterized by the constant association of acute confusion, myoclonus, severe ataxia and dysarthia has reached "epidemic" proportion since its first description in 1974. The clinical aspects the pathogenic hypothesis, the diagnostic criteria as well as the report of a typical case are described by the authors, who stress the similarities with encephalopathies induced by other metals.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A Campylobacter coli foodborne outbreak in Belgium.

In May 1995, the Scientific Institute of Public Health was informed of an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in a congregational school in the Brussels area. The field investigation identified 24 cases with mild to severe gastrointestinal and general symptoms of acute bacterial enterocolitis. Campylobacter coli was detected in the stools of 5 patients. A retrospective cohort study suggested that a mixed salad (containing ham and feta cheese) was the probable source of infection, but the route of contamination remained unknown. The rapid investigation of such episodes of collective foodborne infections is essential for the implementation of adequate control measures.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Distribution and prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative isolates in intensive care units (ICU) in Belgian hospitals between 1996 and 1999.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the distribution and prevalence of resistance rates among Gram-negative isolates in Belgian intensive care units (ICUs) between 1996 and 1999. METHODS: During 1996-1997 and 1998-1999, over a total period of 10 and 9 months respectively, members of the NPRS Belgian Study group collected, on clinical indications, 3029 consecutive initial isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from patients admitted to 26 Belgian hospitals and performed minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) determinations by means of the E-test. Break-points were defined according to the criteria of the NCCLS. RESULTS: The overall distribution of bacterial species was, in decreasing order of frequency: Pseudomonas aeruginosa > E. coli > E. aerogenes > K. pneumoniae > P. mirabilis > S. marcescens > E. cloacae > K. oxytoca > M. morganii > Stenotrophomonas maltophilia > Acinetobacter spp. All together these species and genera constituted about 90% of all isolates. The frequency of resistance for all the initial Gram-negative isolates in 1998-9 were: amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 60%, piperacillin 31%, piperacillin-tazobactam 20%, cefuroxime 58%, ceftriaxone 31%, ceftazidime 17%, aztreonam 23%, cefepime 10%, imipenem 13%, gentamicin 12%, amikacin 12% and ciprofloxacin 21%. Apart for an increase in multiple drug resistance among P. aeruginosa isolates, no significant trends were observed neither in species distribution nor in the overall prevalence of antimicrobial resistance among Gram-negative isolates from Belgian ICUs between 1996-7 and 1998-9. CONCLUSIONS: Among Gram-negative isolates in Belgian ICUs, a very high frequency of resistance was seen to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and cefuroxime, and rather high frequencies of resistance to piperacillin, ceftriaxone and aztreonam. Taking into account the species distribution and the prevalence of resistance, cefepime, imipenem, amikacin and gentamicin appeared generally suitable for empirical therapeutic use in severe ICU-acquired Gram-negative infections in Belgium. However, the therapeutic strategy should be adapted according to the local ecology of resistance.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of stool antigen detection for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection in adults.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to evaluate the performance of Helicobacter pylori stool antigen test in the diagnosis of H. pylori infection. METHOD: The study included 63 out patients attending the ULB-Lothier Clinic between January 1 and July 31, 2002. They underwent an upper endoscopy, as well as biopsies for histological examination and for culture of H. pylori. Stool samples of these patients were collected either the day of the endoscopy or within 24 hours and tested for H. pylori antigen (HpSA Test) RESULTS: The mean age of study patients included 29 men and 34 women was 51(+/- :16) years. H. pylori infection was detected in 29 cases (46 %) by culture and histology, and in 31 cases (49.2 %) by detection of the antigen in the feces. In 27 patients, all methods were positive whereas 5 in they provided discrepant results. Compared to the reference methods (culture and histology), the HpSA test had a sensitivity of 96.5% and a specificity of 91.2%. PPV of 90.3% and NPV of 96.8%. CONCLUSION: The good correlation found between the results of the HpSA test and the methods based on endoscopy supports its use as an alternative to invasive methods of diagnosis of H. pylori infection and therapeutic follow-up.

Adult↗