Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Russo

Publications and source records attributed to R Russo.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

HCV and HBV infection among multitransfused thalassemics from eastern Sicily.

Serum specimens from 152 Sicilian multitransfused thalassemic subjects were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (anti- HCV) and for HBV markers by enzyme linked immunoassay and with reference to anti-HCV, confirmed by recombinant immunoblot assay. A high rate (47%) of subjects was anti-HCV positive. HBsAg was found in 8% of patients and 55% had anti-HBs or anti-HBc antibodies or both. Contrary to HBV infection, anti-HCV seropositivity was related to the number of transfused units. The highest anti-HCV prevalence was observed between 16 and 20 years; 100% of persons older than 50 years had at least one marker of HBV infection. In conclusion, HCV and HBV are widespread among multitransfused thalassemic. Probably in our area, particularly during the pre-HBsAg screening era, several multitransfused patients were infected by HBV more readily than by HCV.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Acute hepatitis E in Catania (eastern Sicily) 1980-1994. The role of hepatitis E virus.

Between 1980 and 1994, 540 patients with acute viral hepatitis were admitted to hospital at the Department of Infectious Diseases of Catania (eastern Sicily). Twenty-five patients out of 540 were assessed as having non-A, non-B, non-C hepatitis. These subjects were studied for anti-HEV IgM and IgG seroprevalence by testing serial serum samples collected 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks after the onset of acute disease. Fourteen of 25 samples (56%) seroconverted to anti-HEV IgG antibodies. No sample was positive for anti-HEV IgG at week 1, ten samples were positive at week 4 and the remainder at week 12. Anti-HEV reactivity was maintained until week 24 in all cases. In 11 of the 14 patients seroconverting to anti-HEV, the presence of IgM anti-HEV was found, which appeared in the sample from week 1 and gradually disappeared thereafter. Identified risk factors for HEV transmission included travel in the tropics and shellfish ingestion (anti-HEV positive versus anti-HEV negative: p < 0.05). HEV-related hepatitis is not yet a major public health problem in Sicily but, from our data, the trend of its incidence is clearly upwards. The high incidence of faecally-orally transmitted diseases in Sicily, the crucial position of Sicily in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea (where HEV largely circulates) and the increase of migration from developing countries are all factors which should increase awareness for a more active surveillance of the spread of HEV in our area.

Acute Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Australia antigen in diabetic subjects.

The sera of 766 diabetics and 730 blood donors have been tested for Australia surface antigen (HBsAg). Subjects with a history of an episode of jaundice were excluded from both groups. The two groups did not differ as to the frequency with which HBsAg was found 1.64% in blood donors, 1.56% in diabetics.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Plasma-exchange in the treatment of cryoglobulinemia.

Plasma-exchange was used in 10 patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia. The procedure was used as a primary therapeutic tool to reduce cryoglobulin levels, and in combination with prednisone and cytotoxic drugs. The results show that PE alone is detrimental, although it may be an important adjunct to conventional therapy in MCG with progressive deterioration in the clinical condition, and in those patients who do not respond to drug therapy alone. The weak response to PE in MCG may be due to many technical variables, but mainly to the low percentage of circulating cryoglobulins removed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke in adolescents: urinary cotinine and environmental factors.

The relationship between environmental tobacco smoke exposure and urinary cotinine was studied in 434 14-y-old schoolchildren. To estimate the independent contribution of physiological and environmental variables to cotinine concentrations, we conducted a multiple regression analysis of log-transformed cotinine (R(2) = .21, p < .0001). Environmental tobacco smoke exposure was associated with sharing a household with members who smoked. The most profound associations were linked to (a) the smoking habits of the mother (beta = 5.135, p = .0397); (b) the combined smoking habits of the mother and other family members (beta = 8.201, p = .0020); and (c) the total number cigarettes smoked each day by family members in the household (beta = 0.217, p = .0008). Passive smoke exposure of adolescents is a preventable risk that could be reduced by improving ventilation and by increasing the living space available to each family member. Parents should avoid smoking at home in the presence of their children.

Adolescent↗