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Biomedical subjects

P Rojo

Publications and source records attributed to P Rojo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Epidemiologic characteristics of pneumococcal bacteremia in the era of AIDS].

BACKGROUND: The HIV infection and the development of penicillin-resistant pneumococci justify the review of the epidemiologic features of pneumococcal pneumonia in the last years. METHOD: A retrospective chart review of all patients admitted between 1987 and 1990 with a positive blood culture to Streptococcus pneumoniae was conducted. Different epidemiologic variables were selected ad compared. RESULTS: Streptococcus pneumoniae was isolated in 147 blood cultures from 147 patients. The estimated incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia was 10 cases per 100,000 inhabitants/year. The figure increases from 7 to 12 cases during the study period. The risk factors identified were: HIV infection, 27 patients (19%); cancer, 14 patients (10%); cirrhosis of the liver, 13 patients (9%). In 56 cases (38%) no special risk factors were identified. All bacteremic episodes were from a pulmonary source. In 66% of patients, no special complications were recorded. Mortality outcome was related to age (28% if aged more than 60 years, 7% if less; p = 0.001, chi 2, and with the underlying condition (p = 0.034, chi 2). Resistance to penicillin increases from 0.0% to 21% during the study period (p = 0.03, chi 2) but it seems not to have any impact in mortality nor in the nosocomial origin of the bacteremia. CONCLUSIONS: In the last 4 years we have observed an increase in the incidence of pneumococcal bacteremia related to an increase in cases among HIV infected patients, and also the emergence of penicillin-resistant strains. However, none of the two mentioned conditions seems to have any impact on mortality.

Bacteremia↗

In vitro susceptibility of Aeromonas caviae, Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas sobria to fifteen antibacterial agents.

In vitro testing of the activity of 15 antibacterial agents against 522 clinical isolates of Aeromonas species demonstrated some species-associated trends. Amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid was effective against approximately 45% of Aeromonas caviae and Aeromonas hydrophila, but all Aeromonas sobria isolates were resistant. Aztreonam, piperacillin and mezlocillin were highly active against all the strains of Aeromonas tested. Ticarcillin was equally effective against Aeromonas caviae and Aeromonas hydrophila, but more than 50% of Aeromonas sobria isolates were resistant. The latter species was more susceptible to cephalosporins than Aeromonas hydrophila and Aeromonas caviae. Chloramphenicol, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were extremely active against all three Aeromonas species, likewise ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Aztreonam, third-generation cephalosporins, chloramphenicol and the quinolones can thus be considered for therapy of infections when Aeromonas is implicated.

Aeromonas↗

[Gastroenteritis caused by Campylobacter jejuni in childhood. Study of 100 cases].

Authors report results of the study on a series of 100 pediatrics patients with Campylobacter gastroenteritis whose ages were between 1 month and 14 years. Incidence of Campylobacter jejuni isolation among 2,733 samples of diarrheal stools, examined during a period of 3 years, was 146 cases (5.03%). Several epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects of the infection are analysed. Campylobacter jejuni is an important enteric pathogen in infancy, and clinical symptoms due to infection are diarrhea, fever, vomits and abdominal pain. Illness is frequently self-limited and resolution is favourable in most cases with symptomatic treatment.

Campylobacter Infections↗

[Acute Campylobacter jejuni gastroenteritis in children. Study of 23 cases].

Twenty-three cases of acute Campylobacter jejuni (CJ) enteritis were studied over à 8 month-period in hospitalized children. 906 fecal cultures were collected during the same period from children aged 1 month to 14 years. CJ was isolated in 33 (3.6%). The authors analyse the epidemiologic, pathogenic, clinical and therapeutic aspects of the disease in the 23 hospitalized children. After Salmonella, CJ is one of the most frequent etiologic agents for bacterial acute enteritis; its pathogenic mechanism is that of an invasion, mainly enteric. The clinical picture consists of diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain, difficult to assess accurately in young children. The disease is usually limited to the digestive tract and recovery occurs without antibiotic therapy.

Acute Disease↗

[Access to essential drugs in developing countries].

Every year infectious diseases kill about 13 million people, about 30.000 deaths a day. Almost half of the victims are children younger than 5 years old, most of them belong to developing countries. Most of the premature deaths and the incapacity cases associated to infectious diseases could be avoided if the poor had access to medicines. In the developing world, the poverty of the families, the inappropried public expense and the lack of sanitary infrastructures get together to leave out of the reach of the poor the possibility of an adequate medical treatment. According to World Health Organization (WHO) in the developing countries about 2,000 million people lack access to essential medicines. The new patent rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) will reduce even more access to essential medicines to the poor. Granting trade exclusivity rights to the owners of the patents for a period of at least 20 years limits the right of the governments to allow production, trade and importation of low cost copies (generics) of patented drugs. It is not a theoretical or far away menace. The application of these more strict rules has all ready caused serious problems to developing countries producers of generics as India or Brazil or to importers of these as South Africa or Kenya. They have been press, taken to court and threaten of sanctions by the pharmaceutical industry and some developed countries governments. The decision of some developing countries to fight for their most needed people's health added to the international campaign for the access to essential medicines defended by some non governmental organizations like Act Up, Treatment Action Campaign, Doctors Without Borders and Intermon Oxfam have implied small victories on behalf of the poor countries access to medicines. But deeper changes in the patent rules and the investigation of the diseases of the developing world are needed to improve health in the developing countries.

Adult↗

Soft tissue conjunctivo-rhinostomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the results of implantation of a tubular prosthesis between the medial palpebral canthus and the nasal fossa, through the soft tissues of the face, in cases of irrecuperable damage of the lacrimal canaliculi. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifty eyes with canalicular destruction were operated, placing a silicone and Pyrex tubular prosthesis between the lacrimal caruncle and the nasal vestibulum, running almost vertically through the soft tissues of the face, without osteal perforation. RESULTS: Lacrimal flow was restored in 47 cases. There were three cases of dislocation of the prosthesis, three infections and five papillomata. CONCLUSIONS: Vertical conjunctivo-rhinostomy without osteal perforation is an easy and efficient solution for irrecuperable occluded canaliculi.

Conjunctiva↗