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Tsunekazu Haruta

Publications and source records attributed to Tsunekazu Haruta.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The role of serum KL-6 measurement in common pediatric respiratory infections.

KL-6 is a useful marker for interstitial pneumonia of various origins. However, the role of KL-6 in common pediatric respiratory infections is largely unknown. In order to determine whether the KL-6 level is elevated during respiratory infection, and whether KL-6 is a useful biomarker for the disease activity, we evaluated serum KL-6 levels in 132 children with various respiratory infections. KL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with measles, influenza, or respiratory syncytial virus infection than in the control subjects. On the other hand, KL-6 levels in patients with bacterial infections such as mycoplasma, chlamydia, or pertussis were comparable to the control values. In patients with viral infections, high KL-6 levels, as defined by the mean plus 2 standard deviations of the control group, significantly correlated with low SpO(2) or days of O(2) administration, but did not correlate with C-reactive protein or white blood cell counts. These results indicate that measurement of serum KL-6 levels is helpful for the management of common pediatric respiratory infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Clinical spectrum in hospitalized children with echovirus type 13 infection.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical spectrum of echovirus type 13 (E13) infection in hospitalized children. METHODS: From April to August 2002, prospective viral surveillance was performed for hospitalized patients (aged 10 days to 14 years) irrespective of their presenting symptoms and severity. Medical records of laboratory-confirmed echovirus 13 infection were reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 41 patients analyzed, the median age was 3.4 years and 30% of them were less than 1 year of age. The male:female ratio was 1.6:1. The main clinical features were non-specific febrile illness (nine patients), gastroenteritis (seven), bronchitis (seven), aseptic meningitis (16) and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (two). Each age group had their representative symptoms: less than 1 year of age, non-specific febrile illness; from 1 to 6 years of age, enterocolitis and bronchitis; more than 6 years of age, aseptic meningitis. CONCLUSION: The representative symptoms of E13 infection in hospitalized patients were variable but strongly associated with age distribution. It was of interest to note that two patients developed idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura along with the infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Detection of adenovirus DNA in clinical samples by SYBR Green real-time polymerase chain reaction assay.

BACKGROUND: Adenoviruses are associated with a variety of diseases including upper respiratory tract infections, acute conjunctivitis, cystitis and gastroenteritis. Adenoviruses can also cause fatal disseminated infections in patients undergoing stem cell transplantation. Measurement of adenovirus load in clinical samples from localized adenovirus infections or disseminated adenovirus infections may provide important information for analyzing the pathogenesis of various adenovirus infections. The purpose of the present study was to develop and optimize a highly sensitive real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay to detect a wide range of adenoviruses and to detect adenovirus DNA in clinical samples from immunocompetent children. METHODS: Clinical samples of throat swabs and blood were collected from 111 patients suspected of having adenovirus infection. The copy number of adenovirus DNA was measured by real-time PCR assay. RESULTS: SYBR Green real-time PCR assay is able to detect 10-10(6) copies of standard adenovirus DNA per run. Adenovirus DNA was detected in all culture-positive samples serotyped as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11. Viral loads on throat swabs from immunocompetent children with adenovirus infection ranged from 10(5) to 10(11) copies/mL. Adenovirus DNA was detected in 60% of blood samples and copy number ranged from 10(3) to 10(5) copies/mL. CONCLUSION: SYBR Green real-time PCR is a useful quantitative tool for analysis of adenovirus DNA. The present results for immunocompetent children with adenovirus infections provided basic data for comparison with data obtained from immunocompromised patients.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed2002

Oxidant and antioxidant activities in childhood meningitis.

Animal studies have provided substantial evidence for a key role of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide and its related compounds in the complex pathophysiology of bacterial meningitis. However, there is little information on changes in the redox status in human meningitis. In the present study, we evaluated the redox status and oxidative stress in the central nervous system of children with meningitis. Oxidant and antioxidant activities were assessed from cerebrospinal fluid levels of acrolein-lysine adducts (a marker of lipid peroxidation), nitrite (a marker of nitric oxide production) and bilirubin derivatives (a marker of antioxidant activity of bilirubin). All these markers were several times higher in children during the early phase of bacterial meningitis compared with those of children without meningitis and patients with aseptic meningitis. In the bacterial meningitis group, the levels of bilirubin derivatives correlated significantly with those of acrolein-lysine adducts and nitrite. Acrolein-lysine adducts and nitrite decreased significantly as the patients started to respond to treatment but bilirubin derivatives remained elevated. In conclusion, our data indicate the enhancement of both oxidant and antioxidant activities in the central nervous system of children with early bacterial meningitis, but not in those with aseptic meningitis. Clinical and laboratory improvement may be associated with a decrease in oxidant activities in the central nervous system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Cerebral hemorrhage associated with vitamin K deficiency in congenital tuberculosis treated with isoniazid and rifampin.

We report a male infant with congenital tuberculosis who developed cerebral hemorrhage associated with vitamin K deficiency during treatment with isoniazid and rifampin. Despite an absence of risk factors for vitamin K deficiency, the severe hemorrhagic disorder occurred at 4 months of age. We speculate that vitamin K deficiency in the present case may have resulted from a synergic effect of antituberculosis agents and immaturity of vitamin K metabolism and/or its absorption.

Cerebral Hemorrhage↗
PubMed2002

[Streptococcus salivarius meningitis after oral trauma by a skewer: a case report].

Although Streptococcus salivarius is one of the normal flora in the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, the agent may cause bacteremia, meningitis, endocarditis and sinusitis under certain circumstances. We report a 3-year-old female with meningitis after oral trauma by a skewer due to penicillin resistant S. salivarius. The girl injured her throat accidentally with a skewer. Four hours later, she became febrile and came to our emergency room. Plain CT scan was normal, and cefalexin was prescribed. The next day, she had fever, lethargy, meningeal signs, and her cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed neutrophilic pleocytosis. The blood culture was negative, but the CSF culture was positive for S. salivarius. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for panipenem, penicillin G, ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, vancomycin were 0.125 microgram/ml, 2 micrograms/ml, 2 micrograms/ml, 0.5 microgram/ml, 0.5 microgram/ml, 0.5 microgram/ml, respectively. Intravenous administration of panipenem betamiprom (PAPM/BP) 2 g/day for 7 days and 8 courses of dexamethasone 0.15 mg/kg/dose were effective, and she has had no apparent sequelae except for a slight abnormality in her electroencephalogram. Traumatic meningitis is often caused by S. pneumoniae, but may be also caused by the normal flora pathogens including S. salivarius. In addition, our case suggests that not only S. pneumoniae but also S. salivarius can be penicillin resistant. Taking the drug resistance into consideration, we have to be careful in choosing antibiotics for treating such patients.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed2002

[Meningitis].

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Age Factors↗