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Biomedical subjects

M Turco

Publications and source records attributed to M Turco.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Efficacy of environmental measures to decrease the risk of hospital-acquired aspergillosis in patients hospitalised in haematology wards.

This study evaluated a multidisciplinary strategy to decrease the rate of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) among adult patients hospitalised in two haematology wards in a single 560-bed building at the University Hospital of Saint-Etienne. Upgrading of the air filtration system and construction of an air-lock chamber at the entrance to the unit were completed during 1994. In 1995, specific hygienic measures were introduced during hospital building work, including the use of plastic barriers, watering during demolition work, reduction of pedestrian traffic in construction areas, and the wearing of high-efficiency filtration masks by immunosuppressed patients when outside the protected unit. This strategy was evaluated by a prospective survey of IPA cases between 1993 and 2001, coupled with environmental surveillance. The number and risk-level of hospital renovation projects increased between 1995 and 2001 (p < 0.01). In parallel, the rate of IPA decreased globally in the haematology unit from 0.85% (1.19/1,000 patients) in 1993 to 0.28% (0.21/1,000 patients) in 2001. The incidence of IPA decreased significantly between 1993-1996 and 1997-2001 (p 0.02, Mann-Whitney test). These results show that a multidisciplinary approach involving engineers, infection control practitioners, mycologists and clinicians enables IPA rates among patients hospitalised in haematology wards to be significantly decreased.

Environmental Microbiology↗

Lithiasis of minor salivary glands of the upper lip. Clinico-pathological report of a case with unusual presentation.

We report a rare case of lithiasis of the minor salivary glands (LMSG) of the upper lip, with a very atypical clinical presentation, firstly as a left hemifacial cellulitis and later, after antibiotic therapy, as a solid, firm and hard intramural nodule of the retrocommissural side of the upper lip; the needs of a wide spectrum of clinical differential diagnosis with calcified angiomas, salivary tumors, soft tissue tumors, phlogistic and neoplastic pathology of the local lymphnode, foreign body lesions, is underlined. The histological aspects of the lesion are described.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Evidence of infection with organisms producing Shiga-like toxins in household contacts of children with the hemolytic uremic syndrome.

We conducted a prospective study in 87 household contacts of 51 children with hemolytic uremic syndrome to determine the frequency of infection with Shiga-like toxin-producing bacteria. Gastrointestinal tract symptoms occurred in only 1 of 87 contacts. Free fecal toxin was detected in 25 of 64 (39%) of the household members. Neutralization with specific antisera to Shiga-like toxins I and II (SLT-I, SLT-II) revealed that in 6 of these household contacts only SLT-I was present in stool, in 10 only SLT-II was present and in 9 both toxins were found. Thirty-three percent of the hemolytic uremic syndrome families in which 2 or more members were studied had more than 1 household member with free fecal toxin in stool. None of the household contacts was found to have E. coli O157:H7 in feces. Serum samples were available in 77 household contacts; 75% (58 of 77) had serum neutralizing titers of greater than or equal to 1:4 to 1 or both toxins. In those contacts for whom paired sera were available, seroconversion was found in 10 of 24 (42%). These data show that household contacts of children with hemolytic uremic syndrome are commonly colonized with Shiga-like toxin-producing E. coli and seroconversion to Shiga-like toxins occurs frequently in family members of children with hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Adult↗

[Isolation of Plesiomonas shigelloides from a pediatric patient].

We report the isolation of P. shigelloides in the stools of a child with acute diarrhea living in the surroundings of Buenos Aires who usually drank untreated water. P. shigelloides has been implicated as an etiological agent in many sporadic cases of diarrhea, probably associated with drinking untreated water, eating uncooked seafood or foreign travel.

Argentina↗